Well, this pretty much seals it.

[effervescible]

As far as I'm concerned, anyway. And it's pretty damning evidence.



There's Nejibana, Kaien's zanpakutou. Therefore, for those still thinking it's a shapeshifter, that's Kaien. KT is a wily sort so it's always possible the sword is a copy too, but that would fly in the face of EVERYTHING we know about zanpakutou, far more than a simple plot hole, and it would also be bugfuck stupid if you ask me.

Ask utenatai, I was filled with fucking glee when I noticed this last night. Also I am such a dork I had to scan it from my own Viz manga as all the scanslations cut off the tsuba with the markings. I was pretty certain it was the real Kaien, but now that I can free up that part of my brain that was reserving judgment--oh, this is so great. SO GREAT. This opens up worlds of possibility. I don't think there's any way Rukia is going to kill him now, although you go girlfriend for going on the offensive--srsly I bet she has never snapped out a "DANCE!" as fiercely as she does in this chapter--instead of collapsing into a coma or something. But entirely aside from any emotional issues aside, Kairroniro is an espada, and nothing against Rukia but that's a hugely tough opponent--also, you know what's going to happen if Rukia ends up back in SS after this? (Dude, for all I know she could end up staying as Aizen's slave girl, I don't even want to predict KT's crazy brain ideas this far, but anyway.)

She's going to have to tell Ukitake what happened to Kaien. Oh good lord does it do my angst-lovin' heart good.

Interesting depth added to Rukia this chapter--for all we've been thinking "oh, she's starting to forgive herself for what happened to Kaien, that's good," it appears she still doesn't get that she did nothing wrong. But as I remarked to utenatai, there's a marked difference to her attitude regarding the incident now compared to during the Soul Society arc. She really thought she deserved to die then--it was her punishment. It was just late. Now, though...in the height of an extremely emotionally-charged interlude, her attitude to killing Kaien seems fairly intellectual. She's not hating herself so much as saying "well, I did it. And I should have found a way not to do it. So if dying was the way to make up for it, I would do that." It's fairly clinical--just the facts, ma'am. So in a way, I think she has forgiven herself, as much as she's able. Her rescue and Kuukaku's forgiveness released her. She'll never be able to look back and be totally satisfied she couldn't have done anything more, but it's enough.

Or it would have been, except heeeeere's evil Kaien! Except he doesn't seem to be evil, and that is the supremely freaky part oh god KT can I have your babies. Like I said I probably would, I'm amending my Kaien theory--I still think there are two personalities in there, and that double-word balloon seems to be pretty important, but after this chapter I think they're more fused than I expected. Like pee in the water. Some areas are warmer than others, but you can't really separate the two.

This is Kaien, evil. Except this doesn't seem to be "oh I converted to Aizen's side" evil Kaien. It's just...regular Kaien. Except it's a Kaien who is okay with making terrible painful jokes and the head-cutting of friends. It doesn't even feel sadistic. It IS pretty damn sadistic, but--from his perspective, the "die for your sins, betch" is just another joke. Just another Kaien being a jokey dork in the 13th division HQ thing.

I find this fascinating. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

~I can remember the pain
My river of red that would eventually stain me
Now it's your turn to swim
Open your latitude line - let me in

And you remind me of my sanity doctor
Teleport me out of your design
This is fear - Welcome to my little flood
And now - give me a little of your blood~

Comments

[sophiap.livejournal.com]

She's going to have to tell Ukitake what happened to Kaien.

I am looking forward to this far more than I should.

Also, that is amazingly cool about the zanpakutou hilt. I adore KT's attention to detail--it makes me wonder what else we're going to see pay off further down the line.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

Me, too. And I don't want Daddy Captain to be sad! But this has such rich potential, especially for Ukitake & Rukia interaction, which you know I love. The only thing stopping me from whipping out a ficlet where she tells him is I have trouble imagining how this arc will end. Well, okay, I don't have trouble imagining it, but I have trouble imagining something that will actually happen. I just have no idea. I'm very interested to see what deep shit Renji and Rukia will be in, or whether the war will by necessity lessen attention paid to their transgression.

I adore the zanpakutou hilt guard thing. It's such a little detail, but very useful, and has kicked off some really good discussions, like when Ichigo had Shirayuki.

[the-wanlorn.livejournal.com]

Oh my gods this is going to be glorious.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

IT SO IS *flails*

[maeveth.livejournal.com]

OMG I want to also have KT's babies. This is going to be GREAT. *flails around in fangirl glee*

[jaina.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Isn't it great how everyone in this thread is all SQUEEE FLAIL? Like, it's not that we didn't think it was him before, but this is like permission to flail madly and trust it's him.

[maeveth.livejournal.com]

Oh no kidding. I mean, there is no way KT would have put such a detailed closeup of the hilt of Nejibana unless he wanted to make it very plain that yes, this IS Kaien we're dealing with here. So now there is much flailing.

Of course, I find it funnier that we're all flailing happily over the omgangst that will be ensuing.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

Well, if everyone was HAPPY all the time...okay, we'd probably write porn about it. Uh, my point...my POINT is that...well...oh fuck it. IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME. That is my point.

I can't wait to see who Noitara's going after, too. Gotta be Ishida or Ichigo. We can't really guess by the paths they took when they split, because Rukia and Chad didn't take ones next to each other, yet she was supposed to be the nearest reiatsu Noitara felt after taking Chad down.

[maeveth.livejournal.com]

It's GOOD angst. Massive major good angst. But omg poor Daddy Captain! He's going to be just traumatized.

Well, we know Gin's been fucking with the paths, so there's no telling who's where at this point. It's probably a safe bet that he deliberately set Rukia up to run into Kaienkar and Renji to run into Zael Apollo (I'm running with the omgbrothers theory at this point). My guess is Noitora's going for Ichigo.

[jaina.livejournal.com]

I keep trying to imagine how she'll tell him, and...it gets fuzzy around the edges because I'm pretty sure whatever mental picture I have of their return from Hueco Mundo is wrong, but utenatai and I think she's either going to have a lot of trouble choking it out, or she'll say it with such utter calmness that you know Rukia Is Not In The Building.

There needs to be a Kaien/Ukitake fight. There just does.

Ichigo probably makes sense, though I'm sort of torn--it'd be nice for the very strong presence an enemy senses to be someone else for once. Yes, yes, Ichigo is rly strong, WE GET IT. It'd be cool to show Ishida some props by recognizing his strength.

But if Noitara goes for Ichigo, that gives Ishida more of a chance to get close to Orihime first (not that I think their rescue is gonna be successful) and I really want to see the dork be the hero, so...I guess either way, I'll be happy.

[maeveth.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Yeah, either way would work though I can see her going all Kuchiki Detachment in an effort to keep the pain from taking over.

Oh MAN. YES. Full-on battle with a little Ukitake bankai action and oh yeah. That would be beautiful.

See, the reason I think it's going to be Ichigo is twofold -- we all know he bleeds reiatsu like a donut bleeds jelly but I think it would be damned cool for them to totally overlook just how strong Ishida actually is. They're concentrating so much on the obvious target that the real danger slips right under their noses.

I don't think they'll be totally successful either. But then, I have a feeling that Orihime is going to try and reject the Hougyoku out of existence...and end up bringing it to its fullest power and then all hell will break loose.