If he wants a fight, well now he's got one

[joinmyreunion]

The Palace felt quiet. A number of the Arrancar were out on a mission with Aizen; only the weak, or the unpredictable, had been made to stay behind, but that number had not, apparently, included Grimmjow. Kadaj and Tayuya had been left to their own devices without him and Yylfordt around.

Three days ago, they'd had a quiet conversation. Kadaj hadn't done much talking, just nodded, and then later in the day had crept into the laboratories down the wing of the Palace that Orochimaru had made his own. Kadaj used to go down there a lot, three years ago. He'd stopped just after the Arrancar arrived. He'd fallen out with Orochimaru once and for all shortly after that.

He emerged from the labs a couple of hours later, showered, and then went into the underground training facility. He didn't come up again for a couple of days, although there weren't really people around to notice, except Tayuya, who went down to check on him a few times.

He'd slept when he came back up, and then went to look for Nnoitra, one of the Arrancar who had been judged too unpredictable to head off to a freshly made Necrohol. He found him in the kitchen.

Kadaj made his way over; an unusual intent certainty in his expression, and spoke quietly. "Want to let off some steam?" His manner was all wrong to be an invitation to spar, but that was what it sounded like, at first.

Comments

[shoottokill]

Gin looked at the two offenders without an attempt to disguise his amusement. Well, well, well, didn't they look worried?

Ah, he couldn't blame them.

They had, literally, been caught red handed.

[joinmyreunion]

Kadaj frowned, and then held his two swords together, dismissing his bankai. Souba reverted back to her shikai form, and Kadaj's outfit and hair went with her.

"How long were you watching?" Kadaj asked, without looking at Gin as he put Souba away. He really wished Gin hadn't seen his bankai, but of all the people in the Palace, Gin was probably the least bad option. Still, he had wanted to keep that information on a need to know basis.

[shoottokill]

"Ohhh, long enough."

Gin's smile remained in place. Kadaj was clearly unsettled by the fact that he may have witnessed all of it. That aside, Kadaj should know that, if he had been in a mind to put a stop to what he and Nnoitra were doing, neither of them would have been able to do anything about it.

"Nice t'see that you actually Sent him," he tilted his head slightly. "Got enough Hollows 'round these parts as it is."

The turn of his head in the direction of the still-released Arrancar was almost imperceptible and his eyes, as ever, gave nothing away. He proceeded to happily ignore the narrowing of Nnoitra's eye and the slight bearing of his teeth that he received for his remark.

[joinmyreunion]

Somehow, it figured that Gin had witnessed enough to cause trouble. Still, he hadn't interfered, and he'd have been more than capable of doing so.

"He didn't give us a choice," Kadaj said. "If I didn't kill him, he'd have killed me. Nnoitra just got caught up in things. I'd have been dead without his help."

Which didn't explain how it had started, or Kadaj's torturing of Orochimaru afterwards, but was, at least, a partial truth. Kadaj was trying to avoid saying everything, not so much because of Gin, but because of Nnoitra. He didn't want to reveal more than he had to.

But Gin was smarter than Kadaj was, and Kadaj knew it. If Gin wanted to know what had happened in any detail, and why, it probably wouldn't be wise for Kadaj to try and hide it from him.

[shoottokill]

"Oh, without a doubt," he said, looking from Nnoitra to Kadaj. "Ain't it lucky he came to help you out? I mean, after Orochimaru attacked you like that, it was almost noble of Nnoitra to aid you, don't y'think?"

He showed his teeth in a grin. There was no way that he could have seen Nnoitra 'come to Kadaj's rescue' -- Nnoitra would have had to pass him on the way down. There was no way he could have missed him.

"Orochimaru just didn't know when t'back down, did he? It's not as if y'held him there without giving him a chance to run off with his tail between his legs. Way I saw it, arrogance got the best of him."

[prayingmantis]

Nnoitra's eye went wide and shock stood clear in his expression.

What the hell was Gin saying?

He wondered what he was playing at and what he had to gain from lying about what he'd witnessed -- or hadn't. He knew full well that while they'd killed Orochimaru, they wouldn't stand a chance against Gin. Revenge for a fallen member clearly wasn't on Gin's list of things to do, but ... what he was saying didn't make any sense either.

[joinmyreunion]

Kadaj eyed Gin for a moment that lasted just slightly too long before he nodded, gently. "Yeah."

He wasn't entirely sure what Gin was playing at either, but Kadaj knew well enough to know that playing along would be in his best interests. Especially right now. He'd just killed Orochimaru; having Gin back him up that it was self defence would be helpful.

"So what happens now?" He asked, looking at Gin again. There'd be consequences, it would have to be reported, Aizen would have to be told because his subordinate was involved, Orochimaru's will would have to be seen....

The fate of Orochimaru's subordinates, including Tayuya, would have to be determined.

Kadaj felt sick again at the thought.

[shoottokill]

"All hell breaks loose," he said cheerfully. "Some of 'em are gonna be annoyed that you murdered him, even if it was in self defence, y'know."

Others, not so much. It was one less rival.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, his motives and intentions entirely unreadable. Kadaj had been so very clever to plan all of this out ... he hadn't accounted for the fallout afterwards though, apparently. He was getting better and getting smarter, but he was still a kid. Still selfish. He'd apparently dragged Nnoitra into his little crusade, however willing he might have been, but he hadn't considered how the end of it would affect him. Not that he expected Nnoitra to decline even if he had.

"His affairs will need to be settled," he said, waving a hand. "And Aizen is going to be really quite annoyed at you," he indicated Nnoitra, "especially after he left you here to keep you out o' trouble. That didn't work so well, did it?"

[prayingmantis]

Nnoitra glared at Gin when he addressed him, but didn't say anything. He was right.

Aizen was going to be extremely displeased.

He didn't even have anything to defend himself against the charge. Except that ... well, if Gin said it was self defence and Kadaj agreed with that ...

It wouldn't absolve him, but it would lessen his boss's ire somewhat.

[joinmyreunion]

"Yeah," Kadaj replied, just a fraction testily, "I know that part."

Kuja. Kuja was going to be the worst bit.

And Kadaj had all the reason in the world to be pissed at Kuja, too, but couldn't bring himself to manage it. Kuja had brought him here, into a viper's nest, at fourteen years old, and let Orochimaru at him. He had to have known what Orochimaru was like. He had to have known what Orochimaru would do, and Kuja had made no effort to prevent it. As if Kadaj, back then, hadn't been a walking ball of anger and complexes, and Orochimaru wouldn't worm his way in through them.

Had Kuja known what Orochimaru planned for Kadaj in the long run? Probably not. Tayuya didn't think any of the clan knew, though they might have had suspicions about something. But Kadaj couldn't stay pissed at Kuja over any of it, even if he probably should.

It was Kuja's reaction that Kadaj feared, because it was Kuja's reaction that Kadaj couldn't be sure of, and had the potential to sting.

Tayuya's response... He knew what that would be. That was going to hurt, a lot.

Grimmjow's too, because of the risk he'd put Tayuya at.

He scowled, but kept a lid on his emotions as he moved to retrieve Kusanagi. "Aizen should take the long view," he said, with a hint of irony, "Orochimaru stabbed him, started on Ulquiorra, and Wonderweiss, picked a fight with Nel," Kadaj trailed off, smirking a little. "The Arrancar might get in less trouble now he's out of the way for good."

He looked at Gin again. "Not that he'll be in a good mood about it anyway, but it might be less of a headache for him in the long run."

And now Kadaj had hold of the only sword in all the world that could slice an Arrancar like butter. He couldn't think of anyone he thought it would be safe to hand it over to.

[shoottokill]

"You might just be right about that," he conceded, looking from one to the other again. "But he still won't be at all happy that one of his subordinates is partly responsible."

Oh, he saw Nnoitra deal the killing blow. Kadaj had to know that.

"Though ... I'm sure you'll take full responsibility. Nnoitra was only backing you up when you were in trouble, after all."

Kadaj wouldn't get into as much trouble as Nnoitra. Death by other members was a well-known hazard for those in Khamja and they were all powerful people. When pushed .. bad things happened. And ... Orochimaru had clearly pushed Kadaj. Didn't he say he'd seen him refuse to back down? A subordinate of another member would not be extended the same amount of leeway.

Kadaj's attitude to the whole situation amused him. He really didn't have any remorse, did he? Gin wouldn't have expected Nnoitra to have any, but Kadaj..? Orochimaru was close to Kuja, someone he cared about. That ... would have repercussions and he still didn't show any signs of guilt. Interesting. So, the kid did have limits that he could be pushed to and some that could be broken. That was news.

"So what are y'going to do now?" He asked, sounding only half-curious.

He didn't miss the fact that he was taking Kusanagi, either. That was a hell of a dangerous weapon for someone like Kadaj to hold, but ... just perhaps ... it would be safer in his hands than anyone else's. Aizen would be disappointed that he didn't manage to get his hands on it after Orochimaru's demise, but it was something he'd have to put up with. It was hardly going to be willed to him was it?

[prayingmantis]

Nnoitra dismissed his Release as Kadaj and Gin talked.

His Hollow's Chakra flared and then quickly faded. His scythes dissipated along with his additional arms and the horns. His Mask Fragment disappeared entirely as he bypassed Shikai and went back to his natural form.

His missing eye, still exposed by the lack of patch, looked much more grizzly without the bone around the socket to obscure the worst of the scarring.

He dragged his fingers through his hair, feeling slightly drained after the experience. The fight wasn't as harsh as he'd expected, but the whole thing had left him feeling slightly exhausted and numb and it wasn't out of guilt. That the two of them seemed to be talking half in subtext didn't help, even if they did seem to be subtly planning or arranging ... something.

[joinmyreunion]

"Take the blame," Kadaj answered, honestly. It had been his plan anyway, but he hadn't banked on a witness to complicate things. "Kuja needs to be notified," he said, dispassionately, "and Illua."

After that....

His motorbike was already ready to go. It had been since just before the Arrancar had left. He'd told Tayuya he was just going to leave, on the quiet, without Grimmjow to try and stop him or get some idiot idea about challenging Orochimaru into his head. All he'd have to do was last Orochimaru out, and then he could come back....

Except that he couldn't last Orochimaru out. Not really. If it wasn't this time, then in three years they'd go through it again, and again, and again.... He wouldn't be able to dodge it forever. Sooner or later this fight was going to have happened, and Kadaj wanted it to be on his own terms, when he stood a chance.

"I'm sure Aizen will find out when he gets back," he added.

Boy would that be fun. Kadaj felt a pang of guilt for leaving Nnoitra to it, but there was no way he'd be able to stay in the Palace. Not with Tayuya. Definitely not with the rest of Orochimaru's subordinates, who would all be gunning for Kadaj after this.

[shoottokill]

Oh, find out when he gets back, hm? So Kadaj had no intention of sticking around to face the consequences. He was going to tell the people that mattered and abscond, leaving Nnoitra to take the heat.

"You gonna go an' inform Kuja personally, or let him find out from Illua?"

Either way would be fine. The latter would probably be more sensible given how Kuja was one of the only people with the ability to make Kadaj feel guilt. The longer Kadaj stayed in the Palace, the more chance he had of The Sound Five finding out what he'd done and taking matters into their own hands.

Nnoitra could handle them if they came for him. Probably.