Request
"I must say, I was surprised you agreed to this wager Zaraki-taichou," chimed the never changing polite female tone. Kenpachi merely hummed in feign insult at the comment on his personality, choosing to let the woman wait for his answer. She waited in perfect politeness, too perfect, annoying him as her omnipresent manners always did.
"I'm only surprised ya chose this game, Retsu." He grunted, emphasising her name, as he made his move. "Why not shogi? I keep hearin' the old man rant to his two golden boys about how much he beats 'em."
Retsu Unohana's simple smile remained undeterred by his informality and rudeness. Kenpachi could feel her eyes on him as he refused to look from the board, trying to guess the move she would make from what he knew of the rules.
"Yamamoto-sotaichou has his own preferences in pass times, but most, I hope, are separate to my own. However this is simply another culture's equivalent." She returned, her hand moving swiftly over the board and her move was made with what seemed to be no thought, frustrating him further since it showed he was offering her little challenge. "I will also remind you that both Kyoraku-taichou and Ukitake-taichou were his first students, it is only natural he treats them as s-."
"Golden boys." The brash brute tried to interrupt but the ever wise healer merely paused before finishing, in that same polite tone.
"-sons." Retsu finished letting herself examine the man opposite. He appeared completely unhindered by the injuries that she had finished healing for the day mere minutes ago. The barbarian captain had found himself a Vastelorde to play with and had had his 'best fight in a decade'. Today's list had been five cracked ribs another two broken, a fractured lumbar vertebra, three four-clawed slashes across his torso, a forth on his back and twenty single inch deep teeth marks along the right side of his collar bone, not to mention the several pints of blood. Those had been for her to heal, added for her to see was his widest ever grin. It was little wonder why some questioned whether or not he was a monster. She did not; she knew he wasn't. Her etiquette smile widened a slight fraction at the thought. "However, may I ask why you agreed to this wager Zaraki-taichou?"
Kenpachi acted as if he hadn't heard the question and continued his glare at the pieces on the board in front of him. Retsu acknowledged this surprising amount of concentration with a respectful, and curious, gaze and waited again for his answer.
Eventually he decided his action and moved the black marble carving at the centre of his attention. His eyes lifted, before his fingers left the piece, hoping to see a change in the perfect poker face. The widened smile threw him off and the inquisitive look didn't help, but he refused to be intimidated by what could only be called a friendly stare. He pulled back his hand and confirmed his move.
Kenpachi raised himself to sit straight, creating the need to look down into Retsu's eyes something that felt primarily wrong to him, with her. "Ain't it obvious? You agreed to 'take care' of Yachiru when she gets outta control for a month whether I win or lose. No matter what ya pick as a prize for when ya win can make this not worth while."
"I see," the woman replied, disappointed with the answer, "however, since you mention Kusajishi-fukutaichou I was hoping I could ask you a few questions." Her eyes left his for a moment to follow her hand as it glided quickly once again over the board and repositioned one of her white marble carvings to her liking. When the deep blue eyes returned to the tempered brown both pairs were cold and serious.
"They're not about how best to sedate the brat, are they?" Kenpachi joked with a voice void of humour and the negative shake of the head reply suggested none was found. "Okay," he answered, "just stop being so damn polite with the titles, it's annoyin'." Retsu nodded her affirmation to the request. "What's botherin' ya?" He asked after a moment's pause, during which he made his next move.
"What is Yachiru to you?" The question placed all of Kenpachi's attention on the wise healer. Not one person had ever dared ask him that, as if it were an unwritten certainty. To him it definitely was.
"My daughter."
"So you know the girl views you her as her father?" Retsu asked, suddenly adding a new level to the reiatsu she was releasing, putting further weight on her question. Kenpachi nodded, meeting her with his own reiatsu, inwardly relishing the challenge from the usually perfectly restrained woman. "Then why do you pursue death with such dedication?"
"I don't."
"Then explain your actions today. Explain your desire to seek out battle. Explain the advantages you give your opponents to end your life." The reiatsu the two captains were emitting was increasing exponentially. Their game's pieces began to shake under the pressure of spirit particles, both barely aware that they were still playing as they spoke. Kenpachi was even certain that he heard the sound of several shinigami fainting, while Retsu knew she was making more work for herself later in the day, a price she was willing to pay.
"Two reasons for all three. One; instinct. Two; it's fun."
"And what would become of your daughter if you died? Has she anyone else to care for her? Or to love?" Retsu's voice was finally beginning to lose a tiny speck of composure, while Kenpachi was enjoying the 'argument', this was the first time he'd seen her lose that perfect image she wore. He liked it.
"The brat's tough enough to look after herself. Ikkaku and Yumichika at least, and without me around she'd find a boy a hell of a lot quicker." Deep blue flickered with a flash of red for a spilt second and a grin spread across his face instantly. "Since when did she become your highest concern?"
"The moment I had to look into her crying eyes and promise her you would live, a promise I wasn't sure I could keep." Retsu answered breaking eye contact, guilt thick in her voice, wiping the grin from his face. "Can you imagine how I felt when I basically lied to her?"
"What...did she say?"
"You were unconscious for six hours...She told me everything. How you found her, named her, raised her and saved her from hell." Retsu's resolve of a strong and contained image was clearly breaking in this knowledge, it seemed unreal to Kenpachi and it felt no more real to her.
Retsu for centuries now had never shown anyone her inner feelings, let alone Kenpachi, and she was one of the oldest, wisest and strongest in Seireitei. Yet her will to hold herself together was being undone by the story of a brute and a child. Not because she could truly relate to their story or relationship, but because she knew what it was to suffer. She hated to see suffering in any form, whether it be physical injury or personal loss. That was why she had become a healer.
"KEN-CHAN! Ken-chan wake up! You won! You won, you have to wake up!"
"She said someit else, didn't she?" Kenpachi interrupted, peering at Retsu through loose hair from across the no longer shaking board. Commonly his rustic brown eyes either contained boredom or excitement but now they only showed worry.
"Braid-lady...please save Ken-chan! I don't care how… I don't have anyone else... please, please... PLEASE SAVE KEN-CHAN!"
"Check-mate." Retsu said tearfully, causing a stupefied look to cross Kenpachi's face as he looked at the board. Sure enough the black king was cornered by a white rook, bishop and knight. "As for my prize," she continued wiping her eyes once and reforming her demeanour, "I want you to allow me to fulfil a request Yachiru asked of me."
"Thank you, Braid-lady *sniff*...I'd have lost Ken-chan *sniff*, my daddy, ages ago if you didn't heal him."
"Huh, sure," Kenpachi replied, "what?"
"WAIT! That's it! Braid-lady, would you be my mummy, pleeaase?"
"I hope we can play chess again soon, Kenpachi."
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A/N: It's by no means perfect, and probably OOC. Hope it was adequate. Written for two reasons: 1. Date, 2. To get me out of writer's block. Shogi is game similar to chess played in Japan, I've no idea why I wouldn't allow myself to say chess till the end. Please ask Q's, review/flame.