Noble Matters (Private)

The Captain of the Fifth Division sighed as he stood outside the Nanashi Clan's compound. He was in his usual sleeveless Shihakusho, with the matching haori and his Zanpakuto at his side, which unnerved the guards enough to let him through without question. Well, that, and the fact that the man was from one of the oldest and most venerated families in the Soul Society, able to buy the Nanashi without making a visible dent in the family account.

Okami followed the nervous attendant leading him to a sitting room, seating himself in perfect seiza with his Zanpakuto on his right, blade curving inward in a sign of trust. His reason for being here?

He was checking on Anna after the rescue attempt.

Anna sighed relaxing originally in her room taking her time to brushing her hair after a nice relaxing bath. She heard quick footsteps before a figure kneeled outside her chamber door "Lady Anna, Lord Okami Shiba is here wishing to speak with you."Spoke her attendant

"Let him in, I will be there shortly. Do make sure he is comfortable, it's the least I can ask for you to do"she spoke before hearing her attent get up rushing off.

A few minutes after okami was seated and comfortable Anna came in a traditional kimono with a bit lighter pink then her hair. "Thank you for coming Okami..I hope I didn't make you wait long"she spoke gently taking a seat to his left folding her hands in her lap

Okami chuckled as Anna walked in, her short pink hair still damp from a bath, asking if he'd waited for long. Shifting to his more typical relaxed stance now that the attendants were gone and turning towards her to look her in the eye, Okami would answer. "Not at all. Frankly, I should be the one apologizing for stopping by so suddenly. I was simply concerned about how you were feeling after your return."

They both knew that the friendship between the Nanashis and the Shibas had been strained for some time in their parents' time, but the friendship was still considered valuable by both clans. The Shiba Clan for their political and financial power, along with their traditionally-high rank in the Gotei, and the Nanashi Clan for their skills with Kidou and esoteric knowledge. Okami himself didn't get along with Seishin, Anna's mother and the leader of their Clan, so he typically dealt with Anna. She was young, probably about a fifth of his age, but she had a good head on his shoulders and the fact that she was cute didn't hurt anything. Mind you, Okami wasn't a cradle-robber, he was just stating a fact.

They also both knew that the swordsman was far more perceptive than most gave him credit for, and shared the Shiba Clan's uncanny eye for the hearts of those around them. "Do you want to talk about what happened? You seemed a bit haunted when you came home."

Anna allowed a small smile to play on her face as she closed her eyes shaking her head "No, there is no need to apologize for allowing a concern to dictate a motive of ensuring someone is alright."she said before opening her eyes listening to him ask about what was haunting her as she scratched the back of her head a bit embarrassed. "Uh well, as you know I am still considerably green dealing with combat and things as well as just gaining my seat as a captain not to long ago. I dealt with many strange things before dealing with the primera Atou then seeing Graven Fel himself...you could see the gap of their power just being in their presence. Hell just their eyes spoke volumes..that and being told you taste like rabbit is just creepy"she said falling silent for a few seconds allowing her mind to register what she said knowing it needed context as her face went red "before you ask. I got a slight cut from one of graven's nails and he tasted the blood that got on his finger...nothing else!"she exclaimed ensuring no one was allowed to gutter mind her comment as she was the only one seeming to freak out from it.

She calmed herself down quickly before returning to the discussion "it was werid to see the arrancar in their natural world and how they worked...Honestly I could take a few of them but I felt like I was literally stuck in a lions den, as if at any moment I could have been ended eaten or whatever they do. It was mentally exhausting besides being treated like a child when it comes to acknowledgement of power."she said muttering the last part still hating the fact most finds her as scary as a long hair kitten acting all big and bad but really being adorable. That was her curse and she hated it.

Okami's eyes widened, and then settled as Anna explained the unusual comments, nodding along with the rest of her story. Taking a breath to center himself, he decided to speak about his own experiences, and comfort his companion at the same time. "I understand what you mean. It was odd, as the Espada that I ran into didn't even care to fight. Then again, he seemed a bit...touched. You seemed to have a rougher time of it, however. Don't worry about the difference in power. I am sure that with enough training and experience, you'll be able to handle things on your own. As it stands, you are a Captain of the Gotei, and the Commander of the Kidou Corps. There is no higher authority when it comes to spellwork, and you are far beyond those lower than you. If they say anything else, they are merely jealous. If push comes to shove, take a page from the Fifth's book and make them back up their bark with bite."

It was solid advice, although Anna likely wouldn't be surprised at Okami's willingness to use force considering his own position.

"it was odd to see them in the way they were. I am not siding with them in any way but they almost mirror us but more of wearing a mask-like us but really ready to destroy us if we even turn our backs to them. I had a rough time just trying to understand the place and the way they live. it is a literal survival of the strongest there. I am sure if I train I will get stronger but most of my squad I have to hold back which would be mocking them and It would be mocking me." she said with a thought tilting her head "I guess I could actually test their bite that they claim to have with that bark, but that means actually trying and uh that isn't the way of the kidou corps. if we did that, wouldn't just be like you and the fifth?"she asked

Okami nodded along with that she was saying about the Arrancar, although when Anna started speaking about her squad he started chuckling and shaking his head. "There is nothing wrong with restraining yourself in training, or asking them to give you their all. Simply because you are not using your most dangerous techniques does not mean you are holding back. Set a limit for yourself, and do everything within your power to surpass it without breaking it. For example, you could only use Kidou numbered thirty-three and below, while allowing your subordinates to bombard you with those in the sixties during a training exercise. You will be forced to refine your control, and think of new strategies, while they get practice with higher-level spellwork on a target that can handle the backlash if something goes wrong. In the end, you cannot improve if you are not challenged. Thus, you have to challenge yourself."

Many people underestimate the Fifth Division and it's Captain, but the man was a prodigy among Shinigami, holding the record for fastest graduation from the Shin'o Academy at eight months, a program that generally takes six years at minimum. That was the side he showed to Anna now. "Don't worry. The Kidou Corps and the Fifth aren't very alike, and even my advice wouldn't change that. There is a difference between being forced to earn respect, such as you must do, and being forced to command it. The Fifth Division is much like Hueco Mundo, in that way. As Commander of the Kidou Corps, you are a guiding hand. Gentle, yet firm when needed. As Captain of the Fifth, I have to be unbeatable. When I first joined, people mocked me just as they do you. They thought I was just some silly noble looking for an adrenaline rush. Once I was given the unofficial rules of the Division, though?"

Okami glanced down at the floor between himself and Anna, no longer meeting her eyes, even as his voice softened and the words flowed out like sweetened poison, the tone a bit too easy to swallow despite the words. "Four dozen men were dead within the first week. A bit more than half of those were in one-on-one duels, and the rest attempted to jump me in groups of three or so. The first one, I cried myself to sleep. The next few were rough, but eventually it didn't even matter any more. It was just numb."

Anna tilted her head to the left, thinking of what Okami said of different ways she could handle training with her subordinates as she never had those thoughts strike her mind "I could do that...Yeah! I can definitely set my own restraints when training, if only to further train myself! That is a wonderful string of ideas."She said allowing her normal bubbly demeanor to return at the thought of possible challenges with her favorite thing in the world, oh the excitement was real. She listened to him speak of the difference as she nodded, it was known the fifth was hell to really get into. Sure it's all bragging of kills and battle-driven junkies but behind doors, it must be a literal hell, and seeing this unfamiliar side of Okami was very off-putting. At least for her, It was a weaker side, something no one should ever see of the one person that had to be unbeatable in every aspect of the world.

"I am sure it was hard and becoming numb is something we tend to do just to save what humanity we can manage to keep. I never had to kill another shinigami or any beings other than hollows but seeing kind spirits become blood-thirsty hollows and having to destroy them...I know that isn't anything to really compare to what you have to deal with every day, but it is the closest thing, I can even think that would bear a resemblance."She said gently allowing her eyes to close slightly, the wide-eyed wonderment of an eager young soul seeming to dim to a soft blue of a wise older soul who held possible vast knowledge. Her voice got softer as well allowing a blanket of comfort to try coming from her words much like a grandmother comforting a frightened child "The best thing I can ever think to say to someone having to bear the burden you do is Forgive yourself and continue living, allow their faces to live on in your memories, and help others not repeat what they did. Even our lives are too short to toss away fighting each other over tiny things."She added.

A quick bark of laughter followed Anna's words, Okami's face a bit too happy despite the topic of conversation. "Oh, believe me, it was far too long ago for anyone to forgive, even if there was anything I had done wrong. I have been a Captain for more than a millennium, and in that time the Fifth has become a bit more...well, we at least manage to aim the utter chaos towards our enemies, instead of ourselves."

His face sobering again, he'd meet Anna's silver eyes with his own, a sad smile gracing his lips. "In all seriousness, Anna, it has been a long time, and there was a much different Captain in charge of the Fifth Division when I first joined the Gotei. He was the last loyal Shinigami I was forced to kill, and after that there were sweeping reforms in my Division. Any Shinigami killed by my own hand since then have been traitors, and knew the consequences of their actions. That being said, thank you for your concern."

Shaking his head at the thoughts invafing his head, the smile on his face would spread once more. "So, what are your opinions of the current Captains, now that they're your colleagues? Don't leave me out of this. I want to hear some brutal honesty!"

Anna blinked a few times, surprised at how quickly he changed his tone from sad and depressing to laughter and being happy. That is a most interesting way to change. "I forget you are so much older than me. I want to say your almost as old as my mom, and I don't mean that as an insult."She said sweetly, trying not to say he was a skeleton-like her mom.

She nodded, allowing a smile to play on her face . "I am glad you manage to handle and take care of the fifth and change it for the better, as I am sure it is hard to do so on a day-to-day basis. I am surprised your squad barracks isn't constantly needing repairs from all the roughhousing I heard tends to go on in your squad."She said in a joking manner before allowing herself to calm down and focus on his next question. What did she think of the other captains? That was one she hardly thought about as she had only been a captain for a year now; she barely got to meet the other captains in her time of being one.

"Hm, Alright. From the Captains I have Meet. I know Ika personally; like you and me, he is from a considered Noble family, the mazi's. The short t time I have known him, he tends to love messing with the older guard's plans and taking things over, but I could have just heard that from others as I barely actually met or be around him long enough."She said "I know Demise cause I do believe He and my mother are amongst the oldest, currently living, Shinigami to date. The one time I met him, I believe when I was barely in my 50s, and even I wanted to run and hide, He was so tall and scary."She said, thinking of when she had met him once with her mother. "I haven't met the second squad captain nor the 4th to have much thought of them. Kokoro always seems so creepy and gave a big 'come near me, and you will never be seen again' vibe. I think he is a reason I try never to get hurt cause eeee no. Totally creeps me out."She said, shaking her head. "Now for you. I could be like everyone else and say you are, and a Quote ' a lazy attack dog that no one will try neutering' that was what I overheard someone from another squad says, but I can't say where it was. So far, I can tell if I tried fighting you, your reiastu might crush me and that you outclass me everywhere but probably Kidou as I do not think you like using kidou. For personality. If I had to say, you are a dear friend and someone who has really helped me get to where I am. You were really the only one who actually helped me when I was in the academy, or I might have actually flunked. I don't have anything bad in thought to say other than stop jumping into battle head first, or you might lose your head."She added, having to think of some critique of Okami.

Allowing a few seconds to pass in silence, she found the words she needed and felt were accurate."You tend to be nosy and annoying, according to mom, but I feel that is more just mom hating everyone and thing as she tends to."She said, "Don't know of Eleanor. I know Amaya idols you cause well she like strong things and being said your considerably strong and in the actual main combat squad. So there is that. Hmm, I haven't met the 6th captain yet, and I think that is it besides my squad. So tell me, Okami, What are your critiques of me as a shinigami and captain. Don't you dare sugarcoat it, either? I want the truth and your opinion."She said

Okami laughed at Anna's commentary, smiling at the part about himself and shaking his head fondly. "Now now, in my defense I have a fair understanding of Kidou. It's just not my specialty, and I need to use incantations at the upper end like most people. We can't ALL be spellcasting prodigies, now can we?"

Reaching over and mussing up her soft pink hair with one hand, the swordsman had a softer tone in his voice as he answered the girl's question himself. "My biggest critique is that you don't have enough confidence in yourself and your abilities, leading others to doubt you. Take your Academy days for example. You struggled a bit with Zanjutsu because the Academy teachers suck, and you just don't quite have the right frame to excel in the basic Hakuda style. It didn't mean you were bad at it, you just couldn't wrap your head around the way that the Shin'o Academy teaches students. You claim you would have flunked without me, and yet all I did was teach you the same thing from a different angle. You're a Captain-Class Shinigami, from a long and distinguished line, even if raw reiatsu isn't your strong suit. It definitely isn't your weakest, certainly, and your control is out of this world. Anyone in your Division that gives you trouble for your mistakes clearly forgets their place. None of them are qualified to be a Captain, and any mistakes you've made are minor at worst. Soul King knows I made a few in my early days. We all did. Hell, I once had to be sat down by Doku, who gave me some very comforting words because I was in a position similar to yours. Now, I'll give them to you."

At that, Okami's hand on Anna's head dropped to her shoulder, dragging her into a hug, his chin resting on her crown. "Relax. You are a Captain of the Gotei. This is what you were born to do, and fuck anyone who says otherwise."

"Yes everyone can be a spellcasting prodigy! Even at higher levels with enough practice, you can also not have to do the incantations and still have it at near equal levels of power."She joked seeing as he didn't seem to critical of her assement of him.

Now the next action was something was didnt expect of one of his hands reaching up to rest on top of her head messing her slightly wet hair. Normaly she would pat his hand away and complain of how hard it was to get her hair to fall the way she wanted it to but at the moment she was more focused on the words he spoke of his opinion. She thought over each and everyone of his critiques as he was spot on. She had no confidence in herself or her abilities. yes Kidou was her life blood and no one rivaled her in its uses as well as she could work a bit more on the other needed skills as well. She did feel more confident hearing him speak words of encouragement from Doku as well as better just receiving a long over due hug from someone who wasnt going to scold her for the mess of dealing with the Arrancar. Soul king knows, the tiny captain has received way too much scolding the past few days of her actions and whatever else an yone could think of bothering to tell her. "Thank you...For those words and visiting me. Your one of maybe three people who havn't scolded me to the moon and back since my return. Though I do have another issue I wish to discuss on dealing with, or more then one I guess you could say."she said resting her forehead against his chest, just enjoying the comforting embrace as the smell of Strawberry with a hint of cherry blossoms came from her hair.

Okami chuckled at Anna's words, rubbing her back gently and simply enjoying the moment, even the smell of strawberries and cherry blossoms from her hair. Admittedly he hadn't showered immediately before coming over, as he'd went into the office to try and get control of the chaos that came with his Lieutenant vanishing and having to be replaced. Thus, his usual scent of whiskey, vanilla and steel was seeping through more than normal. He wasn't an alcoholic, mind you. It was legitimately just the cologne he used blending with his natural scent and the sword oils that he favored while cleaning Tsukiakari Shojo.

Well, he did go on benders occasionally, but that was with friends. He tended not to drink alone.

Pullling back a bit, he'd look the younger Shinigami in the eye with a small smile. "Why should I scold you? You did what you needed to. Anyone that questions your judgement is an idiot who has never dealt with being in your shoes - behind enemy lines with no idea of whether or not you'll live to see the morning. I can guarantee no one in the Fifth ever once thought down on you for what happened. We've all been there. So, what other issues need to be discussed?"

"it is good to know you are willing to accept how I had to survive, though it was more boring than anything else. as for the other thing...every now and then whether I am training myself or working alone, I get a darker sense of something watching me, every now and then I will hear a laugh that oddly sounds like mine but it seems more...twisted? If that's the words. in some of my recent dreams, there is a pink-haired figure with paler skin than mine in the distance somewhere around me. I never get a response, nor do I ever get any closer to her." she said looking up at him rubbing the back of her head "maybe I am just going crazy from the stress but since being back, I feel slightly different, I feel kinda awakened as some things that seemed normal feels so foreign now. I notice things that i use to think were natural like smiles and some conversations seem to now have a hint of something else to them....I don't feel right here? or with myself, even my zanpackuto sounds more distant and not as talkative as he normally is about me needing to find more knowledge and learn more of whatever I was doing."She said "Am I going crazy Okami?" she asked

Okami looks at Anna with a concerned expression, thinking of all the possible reasons that she could be having an issue and coming up short. "When did this start? Was it after you arrived in Hueco Mundo? Just after you got home? Was there anything that could have started this?"

The Head of the Shiba Clan was a certified (or certifiable) prodigy, and could be considered a genius, but if he didn't have all of the information then he honestly couldn't come to a useful conclusion. It was then that Anna's last comment finally registered, and his face softened. Dragging the petite pinkette into another, closer hug, he'd let his reiatsu out slowly, coating the area like a weighted blanket and giving the other Captain some much-needed reassurance. "You aren't going crazy, Anna. Why don't you start from the beginning, and we can figure out what's happening together, alright?"

Anna looked down unsure of what to really think of her situation. She allowed him to once again wrap her in a comforting hug before feeling a comfortable pressure of reaistu like blanket flow down around her as if to comfort her, and by the soul king, it was working. "If I had to say, I think it started when I was first there. At first, I chalked it up to just the situation. Sure getting dragged to the hollow realm like some Ragdoll by a monkey is laughable, but new environments change you, especially knowing at any moment you could become prey to some powerful predator."She said resting her forehead against his chest before closing her eyes taking a deep breath to calm her thoughts "So I figured it was just the situation that after a while these vivid dreams of a crazy dreamer, like myself, would stop. And it seemed they did, well until I got back here that is." she said to him with a sigh before lifting her head up looking up at him before allowing her eyes to dip down to the left in thought "Since coming back, the dreams seem more...Alive, maybe real or more real?"She said in a softer tone.

The Head of the Shiba Clan's mind was racing, although he didn't let it show on his face or even in his reiatsu. There were few times that he thanked his upbringing as a noble, with all of the etiquette lessons and rules that he only half-paid attention to, and this was one of them. Rubbing Anna's back with one hand, he'd hum along with her words, increasing the reiatsu around them to a point where it would have been smothering had the person he was comforting not been a Captain themselves. As it stood, it would just be more of the same.

Shifting slightly, he would speak softly so as not to spook the Nanashi. "My best recommendation would be Jinzen. Go into your Inner World, and ask your Zanpakuto if he knows what is wrong. No matter what, I'll be here for you. Alright? Let's just keep this to ourselves for now. We don't need anyone else getting worried about what's happening, or jumping to conclusions."

Anna closed her eyes taking in the relaxing and very comforting jesters, now if only her family actually knew how to comfort her, then her life would be a lot more bearable and maybe she would know what to actually do as a Nobel instead of having to bug another Nobel to teach her how to even understand herself. "I have tried Jinzen, he has been ignoring me, no matter how hard I try. When I do manage to get in, he just does his usual organizing his blank books in his massive library."She said gently "I wonder if he is mad I had to more or less playhouse in that world to keep from possibly getting killed by the Primera or some of the others."She said slowly straightening herself back up she smiled towards him "Alright, I will keep trying Jinzen to maybe get him to answer me and I will give it some time before possibly going to any of the other captains with my issue. I hope my logic of this just being stressful is all it really is. But I do thank you for coming to check on me."She said cheering herself up a bit.

Okami let Anna straighten herself as she spoke, his eyes moving across her face in a manner that spoke to how fast he was absorbing the information she was giving him, coming up with and tossing out hypotheses. Letting out a small sigh, the Shiba looked Anna dead in the eye. "I doubt that your Zanpakuto would be so petty as to not speak simply because of something that small. That being said, I think it's best if you don't advertise the issues with your Zanpakuto to all of the Captains. Ika - Captain-Commander Mazi, I mean, can be trusted, but other than that it's for the best if this stays between us."

As she thanked him for checking on her, Okami huffed with a small smile. "Yeah, well, I wish it was so simple. While I definitely wanted to check on you, I also came here to talk about some more...disturbing issues. Have you heard from your mother recently?"

Anna listened to his reasoning before nodding "I know Ika, he is a spoiled noble brat much like us. I don't know him on a personal friend level but I know him from the other circles of our society. I can try telling him but I am sure he is just going to fall off his high horse laughing at me for this trivial thing that is stressing me."She muttered thinking of a thousand ways how it could go as she shook her head "For now though, I will keep it to myself"She spoke before tilting her head at the next question "You want...To see my mother? Are you sure you want to? She hasn't been in the best mood since I been back, something of the family image or something like that. Most of the time, I can never make heads or tails of which mother I am talking to." She said scratching her chin lightly.

"Though she has been spending a lot more time out of her bed chambers and in the family dojo if you really want to speak to her. I believe she is in the records room where she tends to the family business and duties as our head."She added trying to think when she last saw her mother today, then again she had been more focusing on herself and trying to avoid dealing with the stress of a niece wanting to be exactly like her, an overly motherly older sister, and a grumpy hag.

Okami's face schooled itself the moment that Anna said that Seishin was actually in the house. The Head of the Nanashi Clan and the Head of the Shiba Clan had an...interesting dynamic. There were many people that thought the two should just get it over with and either fuck or kill each other. Amaya, Anna's niece, figures that both will happen at some point, something that almost ruined a rather nice dinner once. Whether or not there was any truth to the rumors of sexual tension, the two were like oil and water. Their political stances tended to be different, with Seishin being a hardline traditionalist and Okami being rather...Shiba.

Letting out a sigh, the black-haired swordsman shrugged, standing up and reaching out a hand to aid Anna. "Well, if she's here, then that makes things a bit easier. Back and forth discussions are difficult, and I know you can't actually make any decisions without your mother's say-so."

Anna watched him closely before she nodded placing her hand in his while accepting his help up. She readjusted herself kimono before looking back up to him "This discussion easier? What do you plan on actually speaking with her about? However I can make decisions, it is just they need to be more aligned with mom's hard traditional status for the family"she spoke shaking her head.

Anna attempts to be many different things for her family. She was next in line to become head of her clan, how ever she needed to be like seishin, but at the same time she couldn't bring herself to be like her mom and handle things like the old woman. It wasn't her but she had to be her to even get close to getting to be the head upon her mother's death.

Anna took the lead deeper into the estate ,past servants doing their normal chores and daily duties. She nodded towards any acknowledgements and tended to any possible decisions any would bring forth. After a minute our so they arrived towards the back of the house "the record room is over her."she said leading him through some decorated sliding doors before opening a final one to w large room holding grates of  scrolls along one wall and some filing like boxes. At the desk I. The middle of the room sat seishin holding a pipe emitting smoke "Is there something you both need?"asked seishin clearly annoyed

"Lord Shiba had came wishing to speak with you mom." She said moving deeper into the room.

Okami's face remained polite and aloof as he acquiesced the point to Anna, and followed her through the halls. The various servants eyed him nervously as they greeted their heiress, or asked questions of her. The Lord of the Shiba Clan made them uncomfortable because of the arguments he caused just by being there, he assumed. It was almost always inevitable, and today was no different.

As the two walked into the room filled with the Nanashi Clan's records, he idly took in the surroundings, only paying attention to Seishin when she spoke, listening to Anna's reply as he considered his next course of action. Walking towards the desk where the older woman sat, he inclined his head briefly before pulling a piece of paper from inside his Shihakusho, tossing it on the desk. Upon closer inspection, it was transcripts from a proposal to fund orphanages in the higher-numbered districts of the Rukongai.

Lifting one eyebrow in an expressive manner, Okami's face would show his relunctantly-aristocratic background, the noble features every Shiba is born with showing in a very obvious manner. "Lady Nanashi, care to tell me why you opposed a project that you agreed to previously?"

Anna sighed closing her eyes before moving to the side allowing Okami to take the full attention as she listened, waiting for the time to separate the two as she had done before.

Seishin removed the pipe from her mouth blowing out some smoke allowing it to cover the air before disappearing. She listened quietly to speak of an issue that they once again had. She took hold of the piece of paper before loosely bringing it to her face to read before setting it back down "Some of the other Nobel houses feel having an orphanage way out there is more hurtful and a money pit than it is worth." She said with a sigh "If by setting an orphanage out there, will you be ensuring that the kids have proper caretakers and care in the dangers of the outer districts? You have been out there yourself Okami. You know anything of value sometimes becomes up for grabs regardless of who it is taken from or given to. All your proposal was is just an idea. there is no figures or influence that would benefit society or out there other than a place to be rummaged if not a possible den of who knows what"She said

To his credit, Okami's face remained impassive as Seishin explained her reasoning, although it was rather flimsy at best. Watching the older woman's face carefully, Okami reached over and grabbed a spare chair, sitting down at the desk and crossing his legs. This entire discussion was almost pointless, but he hoped to get something through to his fellow Clan Head. "You and I both know that test orphanages just outside the area that most consider safe have done well. It brings a bit of humanity to the vicinity, inspiring others to do better for themselves and their community. As for guards, the proposal had signed statements from several of the Seated Officers of the Fifth saying that they would be more than willing to guard it themselves, and arranging for a roster of steady volunteers is easy enough. The only reason to deny the proposal is because the smaller Noble Houses refuse to fund something that they themselves will see no financial return from."

Shifting in his seat, the Captain glared into Seishin's one remaining eye with an icy look. "Of course, the Shiba Clan and our allies would be more than willing to fund it ourselves to begin with, at least until the areas affected become self-sufficient. The issue is that the traditionalists refuse to allow for their fellow nobles to, ah, waste their fortunes on something so paltry. As if a few buildings and start-up staff would dent even the poorest noble's pocketbook, especially given that the guards are paid directly by the Gotei. The current issue, however, is something a bit more personal."

Gesturing to the bottom of the page, which was admittedly fairly long, Okami's eyes hardened. "Your signature was on the proposal, and is still on the original copy, and yet you became one of the greatest naysayers the moment some of your allies showed hesitation. We agreed to this, Seishin, and you've stabbed me in the back for your own gain."

The Shiba was playing an angle here. Usually the two would end up in a really intense standoff, then get drunk together and end up forgetting that they ever had an issue in the first place. One time Anna, Eleanor, and Amaya had walked in on the two cuddling on a futon while watching a Studio Ghibli movie. drunkenly giggling at whatever was on the screen. Vague recollection says it was Spirited Away, a truly ironic choice. Then again, Seishin usually didn't cross this type of line, and respected the agreements they managed to come to.

Okami wanted to get to the bottom of this.