Festival Grounds [When They Cry]

"Nameless, Kagabu, you two stay with the Ringmaster and his troupe; Norma, Kaimu, you're with me. We're going back to the prison."

He was too focused, too panicked, to consider that he revealed he found out Kaimu's identity. It didn't matter though.

"I no afraid of weird drink place no more. I strong. I help!" protested Nameless.
"After all that I've done, after all the pain I've caused because I was too blind to see the truth--" Sakoda hugged Nameless tightly and clasped his shoulders. He took out his shinigami badge and gave it to Nameless. "I'm deputizing you as an honorary shinigami. I need you to stay strong now, here, and protect them while I'm gone. I'm not sure if the conspiracy involves more than two." It was insane, certainly, to put his trust in an insane asylum patient, but he had little choice. He had strength, that much he knew, and Kagabu loved Nameless to much to see him hurt either.
--

Sakoda headed back to the prison in haste. Inside, Sakoda's horror was realized. The goth girl had been incinerated by a fire hado blast in her cell and the Secretary's head was decapitated clean off his shoulders. The secure basement doors were open, and very distinct crying could be heard.

The temporary guards who had taken the wine were also dead in their underground cells. Blood vomit near their mouths indicated that the wine had been poisoned with a slow acting solution. Sakoda didn't realize the early signs because he had been too disgusted with Nameless' treatment. The goth girl evidently didn't take to it, and neither did Nameless, who spat it out. In another cell, were stranged suited men; Sakoda deduced these were the guys that wanted to pick up Nameless in the first place. At the center of the underground chamber was the female ninja and Riku, also dead.

The quiet male ninja was in the farthest corner, petting the Phoenix slowly, thoughtfully, as tears flowed down its face. Along the back wall was a message drawn in blood 'WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS'

"Soon, I will write fear into the heart of Rukon. They must know the truth. They need to find out who really is the Festival Ghost. A new beginning." He held out the Pheonix, looking obviously traumatized.
"Who is it, copycat killer?!" Sakoda screamed "Who is the one that kills every year?"
"Isn't it obvious? The one that ordered the killing of Kaimu's brother --"

Before the name could be revealed, the male ninja also collapsed, the poison working earlier than expected. Sakoda knew the rest that happened, except for the name.

The plan all along was to use the prison as their kill zone; it was an easy secluded place, and nobody would just wander into a dingy pit. The ninjas had actively tampered with the schedules so that their favored pieces (the fools who were irresponsible and liked to forgo their duties) would be in place for easy kills. Nameless, however, had been the wrench in their plans. With active attention from the shinigami about what was going on with the prison, the two ninja shinigami had to lay low, and work out their own schedules to proceed not as planned, to provide a distraction to get Sakoda and his group away from the prison.

Their solution was Riku. They were scheduled as the shinigami on duty for the Plus Soul tent, and so they had to act out their duty until they found an opening to leave. Originally their plan was to kill before the performance even started, to have a larger window for an alibi. With Sakoda gone from Riku, it was easy to seduce Riku's curiosity and have him tag along while they got changed in dressing room.

They used the clothes that were eventually given to Nameless and Kagabu as disguises. The boxes should have been familiar too; they were about the same size one would use to put plus soul dolls inside. A trivial detail if you don't know where to look. That was why the ninjas were almost too quick to get the replacement clothes that Kagabu and Nameless needed; they already had them.

The other indicator that made Sakoda realize that in order to draw his attention away from the prison as a kill zone and use Riku, was Kagabu's side trouble with her employers that wanted Nameless back. They were said to be fast too, and a notice from a hell butterfly would indicate that they had been close when the message had been sent. If the group had waited and not fled before they would arrive, their lives would have probably been spared. Instead they walked right into a death trap, with enough notice for the ninjas because they did not leave the prison when the investigation group left towards the Carnival again.

Riku waited outside behind the prison before the guards assured him that it was a nice quiet place so that they can have their fun, which was why there was no struggle near or inside the Mod Soul tent. He was not missing, but alive, disguised as another tourist among the two ninjas. Nobody looks around the prison in great detail either when more distressed about the treatment of an inmate inside.

The taken Pheonix was simply greed, Sakoda deduced. The male shinigami wanted to be caught, to prove his point that shinigami, or shinigami's were behind the original killings.

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"Sakoda, if you know where they are, then we need to get there right away. We may be able to save Riku."

"We need to get to them so we can stop them. Stop them before they take someone else."

Kaimu waited until Sakoda made the move. He certainly hoped they weren't too late.

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"Nameless, Kagabu, you two stay with the Ringmaster and his troupe; Norma, Kaimu, you're with me. We're going back to the prison."

His eyes looked panicked for a moment before narrowing, noticing the shinigami was too worried about Riku to care about his identity; which, was good for him but he needed to keep his guard up now. He wanted to help, if he was able and wanted to see this through for as long as he could. The dual-eyed rogue remained quiet, waiting for Sakoda to finish speaking before he and Norma followed after him to the enemies den.

Once inside the prison they were met with a gruesome sight. The smell of a burned corpse hitting Kaimu's nose like a horse-ridden carriage at full speed. He scowled, but not at the smell, but instead at those that caused this despite them not being present. The other guards, secretaries, and such had been killed as well which did nothing but fuel Kaimu's disgust towards the murderers.

'Pfeh, if these corpses weren't in such bad shape you could use 'em to take down their killers.'

'Absolutely not. It's disrespectful to use corpses as puppets.'

'Tch, they're dead what are they gonna do? Plus, hehe, wouldn't it be fun to watch those that were killed take down their own killer? Keke, the bastard'd probably shit himself.'

'It wouldn't be them. Their souls have already departed them.'

'Killjoy. You've gone soft.'

'...'

They descended to the basement, cries echoing throughout the hall as they came closer and closer. The sight they found upon entering the basement was as gruesome as it had been upstairs. The guards, dead. Poisoned. Another man, also dead. Kaimu's eyes finally landed on a familiar appearance. Riku. He was dead as well. They'd been too late...

Kaimu's eyes immediately went to the man in the corner, clutching the stolen phoenix close.

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"Soon, I will write fear into the heart of Rukon. They must know the truth. They need to find out who really is the Festival Ghost. A new beginning."

'Tch, this guy's cracked...'

'Quiet.'

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"Who is it, copycat killer?!" Sakoda screamed "Who is the one that kills every year?"

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"Isn't it obvious? The one that ordered the killing of Kaimu's brother --"

'!'

At those words Kaimu's eyes widened. The one who'd ordered...

Anger took over Kaimu's expression as soon as the man had passed. His fists clenched, wanting to do nothing but beat the man senseless until he finished speaking but it was too late, the man was dead and now there were no answers to be had.

"Damn it...damn it..." Kaimu muttered under his breath angrily, a hint of sorrow mixed in with his angered tone. "Tatsuo..."

His identity had already been found out, he didn't care about remaining quiet any longer.

"Coward..."

The man who had murdered Riku and the others here killed himself. He lived with no honor, and he died a coward's death. Norma was furious, she wanted to scream, she wanted to grab the man's body and mutilate it, but she knew she had to control herself. She had to be strong, and take control of this already out of control situation.

Norma took a deep breath and whispered into Kaimu's ear. She knew that she'd have to alert Seireitei soon, and then it would no longer be safe for him here.

"You better get going Kaimu. I'm going to have to alert Setsuna."

Norma patted the man on his shoulder and then walked over to Sakoda. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him into her. Norma didn't display tenderness often, but she knew what it was like to lose someone you loved, someone you loved romantically.

"Sakoda, perhaps it would be best if you waited above ground while I get things under way here?"

Sakoda hugged Norma back, forgetting about her rank and how low his was in comparison. He really needed it.

"No." said Sakoda resolutely. He astounded himself to how polite he sounded like despite having his lover murdered corpse in the same room. "I am a witness."

Sakoda didn't even know himself what he meant by that. An investigation could pull him into questioning if they needed him. Staying here was fruitless. He didn't have the crime investigation eye or technology to be much help except for the obvious surface stuff.

He gently broke off Norma's embrace and nodded; he couldn't force himself to put on even a neutral face. He had also seen the lipstick on Riku's lips. Riku didn't wear lipstick. Sakoda wanted to so badly alter the crime scene, to grab hold of Riku's body and turn it into a more dignified position instead on top of the female ninja. It was not to be.

Kaimu showed great courage and restraint today. If there had been a fight, I would have fought by his side.

"When the word gets out about this, shinigami will flock to Kaimu's side. Tatsuo's murder is a cold case, but, with this, it has turned hot again -- I just wish it wasn't at such a terrible cost."

"In any case, you are witness to Kaimu's innocence, and so am I."

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"You better get going Kaimu. I'm going to have to alert Setsuna."

Kaimu grimaced, it hurt but he knew he had to get out of here...

"Make sure the bastard responsible for all of this pays dearly."

There was a restrained anger within his tone, it took everything he had now to keep from breaking down. With a shaky breath, Kaimu stepped away and began walking towards the exit.

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"When the word gets out about this, shinigami will flock to Kaimu's side. Tatsuo's murder is a cold case, but, with this, it has turned hot again -- I just wish it wasn't at such a terrible cost."

"In any case, you are witness to Kaimu's innocence, and so am I."

He heard Sakoda's statement to Norma, listened to what he said even if the words weren't for him.

His brother wouldn't want him losing himself over trying to gain revenge...as much as he wanted to see the one responsible pay for his actions. He needed to remain in the shadows, as to whether some saw his side as innocent or not...the sole decision came down to Setsuna.

Those thoughts in mind, he continued walking, leaving the scene behind and the job that came with it to Sakoda and Norma. If they needed his help from the shadows, he could offer it, but only in the shadows.

Such a brave boy. He's showed such strength today.


Norma stepped away from Sakoda as he broke from her embrace. She was proud of him. Proud that he was able to stand so firmly and strong, even though she knew he felt so helpless on the inside. Norma knew that feeling all too well. She could relate to the break Sakoda's heart was going through. She could stand in his shoes. 

It seemed like yesterday that Norma lost her Henry. He'd slowly became ill, and nothing seemed to work. Over time it got worse and worse, and nothing anyone tried helped. She had the best healers in Soul Society looking after him, but in the end it was of no use. Norma lost her Henry. The only man she ever loved. She only man she could ever love. She knew the pain Sakoda was going through, because her love was ripped from her too.

Kaimu wrote:

"Make sure the bastard responsible for all of this pays dearly."

Norma was snapped from her train of thought and turned her attention back to Kaimu. She had noticed he had moved to leave, but stopped paying him much attention after that. A fire was lit inside of Norma when Kaimu spoke the words he did. A fire that would see that things like this would never happen again.

"You bet you ass I will."

Norma knew all along that Kaimu was innocent. She never doubted it from the time she had met him. He was such a kind boy. Even when he was angry he showed restraint and respect. She was glad that Sakoda now saw it too. 

Norma had seen a phone sitting on the desk at the entrance of the jail. She'd have to go up stairs to use it, but she knew exactly the person she needed to call. Norma moved up the stairs to the little office where the desk was. Norma picked up the phone and it was working. Norma put the phone to her ear and dialed a number. After three rings, a voice answered.

"Hello?"


"Setsuna, it's Norma. We have an issue. Send squad two and four two the jail cell at the festival grounds."


"What? What is going on Norma? Why do I need to dispatch forces? What about the shinigami that are supposed to be working the festival?"


"They're dead. Two of the assassins from squad two went on a killing spree. It's a real shit show. I've headed up the investigation."


There was a pause at the other end of the phone. Setsuna took a deep breath before speaking again, this time her voice low and steady.


"I'll be right there. Hold everyone in place."


The phone line went dead, and Norma hung the phone up. This should be interesting. The almighty Soutaicho herself was leaving her throne to come try and save face. How typical. Norma took a deep breath and walked back downstairs.

"Kaimu, you need to leave now. Setsuna is on her way."

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"Make sure the bastard responsible for all of this pays dearly."

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"You bet you ass I will."

Kaimu put a lot of trust into Norma, but Sakoda knew he did the same when it came to Riku's death. The male shinigami that killed himself before revealing the name was only a copycat killer. The one truly responsible was still out there.

Sakoda only got partials of what had been said on the phone. Setsuna, coming here?! He definitely could feel the pressure surmount inside him. He wasn't even a graduate yet, and he would be in the presence of the Captain Commander. He hoped to God that he wouldn't have to say a word when she was here. He didn't think he'd remember all the protocols with so much pressure.

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"Kaimu, you need to leave now. Setsuna is on her way."

Setsuna was on the side that persecuted Kaimu, without trail? That certainly surprised Sakoda, and it showed on his face. When ones fears Setsuna, the quote painted in on the back wall started to make sense. He hated that it made sense. Who watches the watchers?

Sakoda believed in the checks and balances put in place by Soul Society for so long, but when insane division assassins could make a prison their kill zone... it struck hard against that belief.

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"Kaimu, you need to leave now. Setsuna is on her way."

Kaimu gave a nod, "Right."

With that single word, he gave a nod of goodbye to both Norma and Sakoda before he ran off, leaving the job of finding the one responsible to the legal professionals. He couldn't go butting his nose into it any further, no matter how much he wanted to. He trusted Norma would be able to finish this, though he also wished that when they caught the one responsible he could see it, look that person in the eyes with the hundreds of years worth of rage and despair that'd built up within him. He couldn't do that though, not in his position.

Kaimu left, and he wasn't gone long when members of squad four began to move into the little jail. Then an all too familiar reiatsu entered the jail. Norma watched as Setsuna descended into the basement jail that the bodies and the shinigami were in.

"I'm going to assume you didn't inform squad two."

Setsuna nodded at Norma and looked at the grizzly scene.

"One bad apple will spoil the bunch. I can't truly rely on them until I launch a full investigation."

Norma nodded in agreement. Everything Setsuna said was true. What if the entire squad was corrupt? Then it could put Sakoda and goodness knows who else at risk.

Sakoda...Norma looked over her shoulder and motioned for Sakoda to come to her.

"Setsuna, this is Sakoda. His partner was one of the shinigami murdered."

Setsuna gave a warm sympathetic smile to Sakoda. She placed her hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"I am terribly sorry for your loss dear. I give you my word that I will get justice for your loss. I also give you my word that your partner will be given a captain's funeral as a debt of gratitude from Seireitei. I will have his pyre prepared as soon as I return to squad one."

Appearances.

That was the main theme that Sakoda derived from the very moment Setsuna descended into the jail basement. Even how she descended with squad four was precise and graceful. Her platitude about the rotten apple a calculated saying.

When Norma motioned Sakoda to come forward, Sakoda took a heavy breath in and walked bravely to his superior. Her smile and hand on his shoulder were undeserved. She was Captain Commander first and foremost. He knew deep down that these gestures were also calculated, and that she couldn't be Sakoda's friend.

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"I am terribly sorry for your loss dear."

Setsuna couldn't possibly be sorry; she was Captain Commander. Her decisions led many shinigami to their death, as did her inaction, the non-decisions. She was the one who made the tough calls when such calls needed to be made. She couldn't be sorry; what was one body compared to the countless that needed to be sacrificed for the greater good? It was another nicety, again necessary for appearance, of which Sakoda begrudgingly understood.

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"I give you my word that I will get justice for your loss."

His loss; her justice. She, the justice bringer. Riku's murderer was dead, for the message 'Who watches the watchers?' Why did the male ninja have to kill to say that? Did he really need to go so far as to have people believe in what he had to say? There was no justice here, only meaningless death. Maybe for Kaimu, there was justice, and maybe for Soul Society to purge the corruption, justice for Setsuna in return for ruining her image, but not for Sakoda.

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"I also give you my word that your partner will be given a captain's funeral as a debt of gratitude from Seireitei. I will have his pyre prepared as soon as I return to squad one."

His cheater boyfriend, another victim, a captain's funeral? He had loved Riku, and would have still if he were alive. He would have forgiven him eventually, but not now. But such a funeral would also save face; make it seem like the incident at the jail just wasn't a slaughter. That Riku was brave and defended instead of kissing a conspirator, the kiss of death.

Appearances. That's all this was. Sakoda's face did not betray. He followed protocol too. He understood Setsuna's actions, even if his insides revolted against this plastic cover-up.

"You are most gracious and kind, Captain Commander."

Setsuna smiled at the boy again, her feelings of empathy sincere. She knew the pain of losing loved ones. Some do death, and some to abandonment. She had been there, and nothing could ever make the pain go away. She could do him all the favors in the world, but that would never bring his boyfriend back.

"Sakoda, if you'd like to step out to get a breath of fresh air I can come get your statement when I finish here."

Setsuna spoke with a soft and sweet voice, like that of ones grandmother. She knew being around all the blood and gore wasn't easy for him, especially when one of the bodies was someone so dear.

"Sakoda is strong. If he needs a breath of fresh air, he'll excuse himself."

Norma didn't care for the way Setsuna was talking to Sakoda. Even though her intentions were probably good, to Norma she sounded like she was patronizing the boy.

"Well, excuse me."

Norma eyed Setsuna and nodded. She wasn't going to swoop in here and act so concerned. Norma was going to make sure of that.

"Setsuna, I am taking it upon myself to retake my position as the captain of the kido corps. Since the captain that replaced me went bonkers, I am reclaiming the position, and I am also leading this case. So from now on, until the investigation is complete, you will come to me for answers. I am the captain in charge here, not you."

Setsuna dimmed her eyes as Norma spoke. Such gal, such nerve, but should she expect anything less?

"Very well, but you shall address me as Captain Fujihana if that is the case."

Norma smiled.

"Of course, Setsuna."

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"Sakoda, if you'd like to step out to get a breath of fresh air I can come get your statement when I finish here."

He was about to follow a protocol approach to this too; concur and excuse himself from her presence.

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"Sakoda is strong. If he needs a breath of fresh air, he'll excuse himself."

Sakoda could hear the defiance in Norma's voice. Norma was on dangerous ground, but Sakoda had confidence in her. She had helped him head the investigation, and if the killers decided not to end their spree so early and she wasn't there, then Nameless would have been killed by torture and he would be dead as well. She had an earned respect for Norma that wasn't trained like his respect for Setsuna through her title as Captain Commander. But one did not say these things publicly.

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"Well, excuse me."

Did Setsuna just back down from Norma's challenge? Why? Sakoda wondered if they were closer friends than he initially realized. Norma did call down Setsuna personally by phone, after all.

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"Setsuna, I am taking it upon myself to retake my position as the captain of the kido corps. Since the captain that replaced me went bonkers, I am reclaiming the position, and I am also leading this case. So from now on, until the investigation is complete, you will come to me for answers. I am the captain in charge here, not you."

When did the captain go bonkers? Why hadn't this been public knowledge? WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS?

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"Very well, but you shall address me as Captain Fujihana if that is the case."
"Of course, Setsuna."

Normally, he would have left before he saw sparks fly, but for some reason he stayed in the depressing jail with all the corpses inside. What did protocol say about a rogue band of killer shinigami? Nothing. It was all so fascinating, so cruelly, so depreciatingly, fascinating.

"Well...is there any thing left for me to do here since YOU are heading this investigation?"

Norma took a quick glance over her shoulder at the scene behind her. The squad four members had already had almost all of the bodies on light stretchers. They were quite the diligent little workers.

"Yes, when the dead assassins get to squad four, I want you to have Captain Maki use her powers to get his memories. I want to know who started all of this mess."

Setsuna nodded in agreement. That was a good idea indeed. Once they had the culprit uncovered, they could catch them and make them pay for their transgressions. 

"I'll do that right away. I'll let you know what we find out as soon as we do."

Norma nodded.

"It's good having you back old friend. Oh, and Sakoda, it was a pleasure meeting you. I just wish it had been under different circumstances."

"I am honored for you to say so." Sakoda responded, again as courtly training conditioned and demanded. "I wish the same. A time might come when I'll be in your presence again, provided that I am worthy to be Norma's apprentice."

Sakoda hesitated. "If that offer still stands of course, Captain Norma Higgins. I could skip a lot of paperwork necessary for an early drop-out transfer if I could get direct authorization from the Captain Commander right now that I can do so."

Apprentice? What was that all about? Setsuna was curious. Very curious. Had Norma taken another apprentice, after all these years?

"Norma, taking another apprentice? I thought you swore them off after-"

Norma cut Setsuna off. She wasn't going to let her finish her sentence.

"I told you to never speak of that again. Yes, I decided to take Sakoda as my apprentice."

Setsuna nodded in understanding. It seemed that most captains didn't take on apprentices anymore. Setsuna herself hadn't had one in ages. It was nice to see someone still holding the tradition, even if it was Norma.

"I don't see why that would be a problem. Norma can teach everything you need to know about Kido, and most of the other things. I'll get on filing your paperwork right away."

Sakoda was naturally curious about Norma's other apprentices and their fate, but at least he trusted Norma, especially since they experienced the same terrible experience.

"Thank you." Sakoda nodded to both Norma and Setsuna for their understanding. He felt like he couldn't possibly go back to being a regular now though, even if the two had flat out refused him apprenticeship.

He looked around again, the place was coming back to order as the remainder of the corpses were filed out, including his lover's.

"I should go back to the Mod Soul Tent to assure Kagabu and Nameless that the crisis has been resolved, though I'm still not sure how I should bring the news about the institution agents to them."

Setsuna smiled and nodded before turning to leave. She was halfway up the stairs when Sakoda mentioned Kagabu and Nameless. Norma had almost forgotten them in the midst of all this chaos. Norma turned to face the stairs where she saw Setsuna ascending.

"Setsuna wait. I have one more issue of business that I will need an official writ from your office on. There is a woman who cares for a man who is handicapped. He is held by some institution. I would like Seireitei to force his freedom, and grant Kagabu guardianship of him. If it must, they can live on the grounds of squad nine. I will make arrangement."

Setsuna paused for a moment, thinking about what Norma said. Without turning around, Setsuna responded.

"I trust your judgement Norma. Do what you must."

"Thank you."

Norma turned back to Sakoda. Behind him she could see that all the bodies were now on stretchers and in body bags. She took a deep breath and then spoke to the room.

"Members of squad four, have your team come back and clean this mess. The captain of squad seven will be coming to examine these bodies, so please don't do anything with them until I speak with her and your captain."

Now Norma turned her attention back to Sakoda.

"Let's go."

The small phoenix mod soul had been carefully pried out of the dead man's corpse by moving each finger one by one, as to not injure it, though technically being stuffing inside, was an effort more symbolic than practical, to ease the transition.

A transformation had occurred in that artificial soul, as it had with the investigative group involved. The bird of rebirth witnessed to much death in such a short span for the sake of defiling a symbol. The mental patient was tortured because of innocence. His lover died because of his curiosity and lust.

All of these things were not costs to achieve an end, the message of corruption. They were all tragedies, meaningless. Sakoda slowly reached out his hands in a cupping position towards the held phoenix, in the thoughtful hands of the other shinigami. The phoenix seemed to really hate the touch though, naturally so, being held that way for so long by a lunatic killer. As an after thought, Sakoda reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick handkerchief, and placed it over his hands, forming what looked almost like a bird's nest instead.

"Would you like to see your friends?"

It was a tone unpracticed, but effective. It was genuine, strong, comforting, gentle, all at the same time. Sakoda knew little about procedure to treat shock victims. Most of the time all that was mentioned at the academy was to give a blanket and a hot drink. The phoenix looked at different sections by pivoting its head sporadically, shaking. Then it looked at the face of a man holding back its own tears, stretched out its neck forward then pulled back, and nodded once. Its soul was still young, like that of a young child's.

The phoenix was shifted enough for it to gently plop itself into the makeshift nest. Sakoda was careful not to enclose his hands in response to the shift in weight; it would be as neutral an object as possible, but natural, unlike a cage. He also kept it a good distance away from his chest, about one quarter of his arm span. Sakoda realized that he did not ask either captain permission to do this.

fuck it

Sakoda led the way from the jail to the mod soul tent, and his tears flowed from his face as quickly as water breaking out of a dam. He was like a moving mountain with a strong and sturdy branch holding an eagle's nest and twin river cutting into the side.
--

The sombre scene of the mod soul dolls huddling around the crouched Nameless would have been cute if not for the situation. They held each other for warmth and support. Kagabu had the tips of her fingers in her mouth, and while the Ringmaster dropped the idea of courting her, his hands were working gently to ease the tension in her shoulders, and it gave him something to do other than worry.

Sakoda had unintentionally arrived without noise, because he had not wanted to break the peace with the news. However, as time slowly passed for Sakoda, the two groups noticed and were overcome with joy at the sight. They were about to spring from their spots, but Sakoda had at that instant achieved impossible presence by raising his hand against them.

"Slowly; still in shock."

Nameless really had to resist the urge to rush towards the main star of the play, or make a happy sound. He muffled himself with his hands. Sakoda walked away for a moment placed the handkerchief on the existing nest on a pedestal (for the play that got canceled), high enough from the ground to see what was going on. The other mod souls and Nameless, slowly, and sat near it, like kids looking at a puppet show. Their presence seemed enough to ease the phoenix, for now.

"Kagabu." Sakoda began, speaking quietly so group two couldn't hear. Ringmaster and Norma could still hear though. Kagabu was the first to notice the absence of who was here; Riku was dead.

"The agents that worked for your institution were intercepted and killed at the jail, along with everyone else that was inside at the time." There was no way around it; he might as well be direct.

Kagabu regressed into quiet shock. If she didn't get help from the shinigami, Nameless would have been killed. There was also, that dark wish she made. She had wished for the agents to be murdered so she could keep Nameless. It didn't matter how sincere that wish was.

Norma watched proudly as a shinigami who started today as a boy, had grown into a young man in just a few hours. She watched as he took his pain and grief and put it aside, so he could address the problems at hand, and he did it seamlessly. Norma couldn't have picked someone better to be her apprentice.

She watched silently as he handled the kidnapped modsoul with grace, and kindness. As he gently and carefully soothed it, with an almost paternal charm. Sakoda had it within him to do great things. He just needed to believe in himself, and he needed to believe in those who loved him.

Norma hoped that in time she could open Sakoda's heart and mind to himself. Show him what his worth was, and that he was more than just some paper-pusher. Sakoda had earned a place within Norma's heart today, and that was by no means something that was easy today. Norma would protect and care for him as long as she had a breath in her body.

When they got to the tent, her heart swelled with pride once again as Sakoda stepped up, making sure the modsoul was taken care of. Then, he went a step further and informed Kagabu of the agents. Norma stepped closer to the woman. Norma was going to free Nameless, free him from the prison he lived in.

"Kagabu, I need you to take me to the place where your employers are. Setsuna has issued a writ placing you and the boy into my custody. We can't free you unless you take me to them."

A writ from Soul Society for Subject #8472?! thought Kagabu.

Now that will really get the shadow employers angry. Really, really angry. More than when they found out their field agents were killed. Kagabu knew she should be worried, but she felt a sudden perverse enjoyment from thinking about their frustration, combined with the euphoria that extremely good fortune found her in her greatest time of need. What resulted were tears, though tears never tell why.

"Thank you," said Kagabu, "both of you, for everything that you've done for my son and I." Kagabu didn't initially think Sakoda to be heroic, but his readiness to admit mistakes and correct them was very admirable. She called Nameless her son because it was part of the lie that she told the Ringmaster to get his sympathy, and he was still around; plus, in her time of extreme stress and anxiety, she realized that she did love Nameless as a mother. "And a thank you to your friend who isn't here right now."

"I can't imagine a more perfect and safe place for both of us other than in your custody. I will take you to the Asylum whenever you are ready to do so. It's at the Asylum we'd be able to talk to the right people to get a proper audience with the Head Department, or get their approval remotely. Though," Kagabu looked towards Nameless lovingly. "It'll be difficult to get him to part from his new friends."

"It is regrettable that I can't accommodate for you two in the same way," piped up the Ringmaster, "since I'm the kind of guy that likes to keep on moving though the open country, and you two definitely look like the types that need stability in their lives. It's a shame that the night's still young but is already over as there's no way nobody could bring themselves to have fun after this situation happened. However, I also have all of you to thank for your heroism today in finding and rescuing Pheo, including the one who couldn't stay.

If there is anything you need from me or my troupe, either today or another day, just ask and it'll be done."

He moved away from the group with his index finger to his lips, and briefly pointed to the other group. At the same time, Nameless had stood up from his spot and towered over the pillar, much to the half-terrified surprise of the other mod souls.

Nameless tested Pheo's reactions to the proximity of his finger, steadily moving it forward enough to lightly stroke the top of its head. The Pheonix had initially snapped its beak a couple of times, but Nameless only laughed childishly. It was enough to bring Pheo at ease, and soon it shuffled in its little nest and hopped and perched onto the same finger.

Norma nodded to Kagabu. She wasn't such a bad woman after all. In fact, she turned out to be quite nice, charming even. 

"Thanks aren't needed, but I appreciate it any way. We shall leave right away and nip this in the butt."

Norma moved to go, but then the ringmaster began to speak. He was a rather annoying man. He just needed to shut up, running his mouth about how he wished he could help, when all he wanted was to get his dick wet.

"Put your dick back in your pants and shut up you old moron."

Norma snapped at the man. She then looked to Sakoda and Kagabu, and motioned for them to follow. As Norma began to move she was stopped by a young man who help two envelopes in his hand. One in a purple envelope, and another in white. The purple envelope was from the academy, and the white one from Setsuna herself.

"Higgins taicho, the captain commander has sent me to give you these. One is a letter admitting a student into your care, and the other an official writ of seizure from the Soutaicho."

Norma nodded to the boy and took the letters from him.

"Thank you lad. Be careful on your way back to your squad. There's a killer loose."

The Ringmaster was set aback by Norma's comment, but decided to drop it. He could make money again as soon as Pheo was feeling better mentally to perform. It also boosted the morale of the rest of his troupe. To argue wasn't profitable, though it was still a shame he couldn't take Kagabu as a roadie.

Sakoda was again impressed by the efficiency of trained shinigami when the two letters required were already produced. What bothered him was that the shinigami let everyone around know the contents of the letters. If the shinigami were to follow protocol exactly, no description of envelope contents should be given, even if asked by a superior to say. Though, the color of the purple envelope didn't suggest a 'for your eyes only' tone, and neither did the plain white one. The same could be said of Norma, though the situation had slacked enough in this context that one could suppose it was okay to talk about matters that would otherwise panic a population, like killers loose, in the open. However, none of that held a candle to the excitement he felt of finally being free! FREE! Finally worth something in this world. Noticed for his talents. Becoming what he could only read about in books. A student, an agent, the Shinigami that got respect by kicking ass.

Kagabu still felt as giddy a a flower receiving sunlight after a cold fall night. She thought about what the institution would say or do to try and convince her that the Asylum was the best place for Nameless. Cells. Controlled play rooms. Short periods outdoors. Food rations. That's not what Subject #8472 needed. They wanted to control his stimulus, but what he needed was more stimulus, like right now. This festival was a horror, but she only thought of more ways to positively stimulate Nameless, and make him more than a test subject. The morning sun has vanquished the terrible night!

Nameless' focus was on Pheo, oblivious to the situation about his release. He was much too engrossed in the color, and the joy, and the bliss, and his new friends. They seemed much less annoyed in his presence than others he had met before. He felt like being an elephant was okay, and forgot that some found him to be ugly.

"It's time to go honey~" chirped Kagabu. In response to this, Nameless shuffled, hid behind his friends, and shook his head.
"Don't wanna." Namless pouted, the frown itself more like a caricature than an expression, given his facial age.
Kagabu put her hands on her hips and shook her finger. "We agreed that we'd leave the festival before midnight. You promised."
A long pause. "I did, I did. I promise so I be good boy for Kagabu." The whole cycle practiced and repeated made the deals between them familiar.
"Kiss their foreheads first?" Nameless added.
"Only if they want to be kissed." responded Kagabu, a bit harshly, because she didn't expect they'd be that accommodating.

To her surprise though, the mod souls so happily obliged though by forming a line and receiving a brief shoulder hug and kiss on the forehead; his difference and childlike nature made him part of their group. After that was done, Kagabu led Nameless to hold her hand. They still looked the same because of the borrowed clothes given to them by the killers who killed themselves.

"Next year, same time, same place?" asked Kagabu to the Ringmaster.
"It's hard to say." The Ringmaster was gloomy again, now that his chance for some hot ass was now for sure lost. "A lot can happen in a year, or a day."

Kagabu nodded in assent, and made her way from the tent. Sakoda followed, trying to leave the craziness behind, carnival or of his previous life. Nameless let the crazy tag along anyway.

It warmed Norma's crusty old heart to see the boy and the mod soul dolls getting along so well. She would have to remember to buy him one before the fair left town. She was happy should could help them, even if it was just a little. They had helped her, even if they didn't know it. They helped Norma feel useful again, they helped her feel alive. She had just been existing for so long, and now she felt like she once again had purpose.

Norma smiled softly at the boy as she watched him say his goodbye's and as she watched Kagabu dote over him like he were her own. The world needed more women like Kagabu, well Soul Society did anyway. Norma never had the chance to be that doting mother. She never had the chance to love someone as if they were her child. It was too late for her now, but she was glad that Kagabu had the chance. Every woman deserved to have that chance.

"I guess you should lead the way now, Kagabu."

Norma said softly as she admired the woman and her grace and tenderness. Maybe it wasn't too late for Norma. Maybe Sakoda was a sign that she too could be a maternal support for someone, even if it was in a grandmotherly sort of way. Norma felt hope once again, and it warmed her down to her core.