So, the next part of Cravings is going to take me awhle to write so I thought I'd post something different I've been working on. I hope it doesn't disappoint too much.
Haushinka was fresh out of the academy and starting her station on the special forces. It had been a difficult education for her, not that she was incapable. Rather, others were under the impression that she was incapable. She was glad to have a division assignment right out of the academy. After her first couple of months on the job, she made it a point to have a one to one chat with her Captain.
"Captain?" she looked around the office to make sure there were no others around.
"Yes? Is there something I can do for you? I'm very busy," she shuffled papers and paced about the room.
"I just wanted to talk. If you are busy, I can return at a better time," she shyly attempted to impose.
Soi Fong stopped at the meek nature of her newest recruit. "No, it's okay. What do you need?"
"I know that my records at the academy are not exactly dazzling and after what Tousen did…" she was unwillingly beginning to babble.
Her captain saved her, "What is your point?"
"I wanted to thank you for accepting me onto the special forces. I realize that I wasn't exactly the first choice among the captains."
Soi Fong gave her a strange look that went unappreciated. "Look, I choose you because I thought you would be an asset to my squad both because of your fighting and healing abilities. I don't care what the academy has to say about it," she brushed off.
Haushinka blushed which was noticed. "Th-Thank you, Captain."
"Actually," Soi Fong began after a moment of thought. "I've noticed in our preliminary training exercises that you've done exceedingly well. Not many who are fresh out the academy understand their Zanpaku-to as well as you do. I was thinking I could set you up to train with a couple of the vice-captains from other squads to see how you fair."
She stammered a little out of flattery as well as intimidation. "Are you sure? I mean…"
"I'm quite sure. In fact, I have a couple in mind, now that you mention it. I'll let you know when the arrangements are made. Now, I have a lot to do."
"Thank you, Captain." Haushinka quickly left without another word. She was thankful for the confidence her captain seemed to place in her but she was apprehensive about facing off against vice captains from other squads. She ran through the list of the thirteen candidates in her mind for the rest of the evening trying to reason who she had in mind. However, she came up empty in that regard. So, since she wanted to be prepared, she looked into the abilities of each of the thirteen vice captains
About three days later, Soi Fong approached her new recruit with the news that she was to meet her training partners that afternoon. She didn't say who they were. Haushinka did as instructed and met them at the training grounds. She was slightly surprised to find it was Vice Captains Hisagi and Kira. From what little research she was able to do, she knew they were friends and that they worked very well together. She greeted them appropriately upon arrival.
"Ah. Haushinka-san," Hisagi greeted. "I've seen you around." He mused as his eyes raked over the younger woman.
Kira elbowed him.
"What?"
"Don't you think that's rather rude?" the blonde scolded under his breath.
"I don't," the blind girl interjected. "It's probably true. He has seen me." She assured defiantly.
That shut Kira up and amused Hisagi.
"Let's begin then," Hisagi began to draw his sword.
There were little words after that point and the two vice captains took turns with Haushinka. They quickly began to understand why Soi Fong requested two vice captains to entertain her.
"It looks like your extra time at the academy did you some good," Hisagi teased.
"You were held back? But you are more advanced than any graduate I've ever met," Kira attempted to compliment.
"It wasn't my choice…but I took advantage of the extra instruction."
"I can see that," Hisagi sheathed his sword and backed off. "Kira, why don't you release your Zanpaku-to and give her a bit of a challenge?"
Kira appeared unsure.
Haushinka nodded, "That sounds good. May I do the same?" she asked.
They were apparently unaware that she had that ability already but were more than happy to let her show off a little. When she did, her sword separated into several dozen smaller arrow-like hilt-less daggers that circled around her. Needless to say, they were both rather impressed.
"I am actually rather interested to see how I hold up against an ability like yours," she told Kira as she waited for him to begin.
He couldn't get near her. Her blades made for excellent offence as well as defense. He did hit as many of her blades as he could to see how she would react. When some of them started to get heavy, that's when she changed tactics.
"Now is usually the time when your opponent is weighed down by their own weapon, am I correct?" she asked knowingly.
He didn't say anything, simply continued his attack, knowing that eventually they would become too heavy for her energy to support.
When that began to happen, she allowed several of the more heavy blades to fall dangerously close to him eventually using the loose ends of his robes to pin him in place.
Once pinned, Kira let his sword go back to its original shape, "I guess that means you win," he joked half-heartedly. "I've never fought someone with a technique that could cope so well with mine before. I'd like to do this again sometime."
She paused. "I would like that as well and I'm sorry for tearing your robes. If you'd like, I can repair them," she offered as she withdrew, allowing him to stand.
He found that an odd thing to say and declined her offer.
During their fight, Hisagi sat leisurely on the side lines and though his intent was to observer their styles, he ended up spending most of his attention observing her body. He had seen her around before and noticed that she was attractive but this was the first time he got to really look at her.
She was a good head and a half shorter than he with black hair tied back in a tight bun. Her only other distinct feature was the white blindfold that she wore over her eyes. It was the only indicator that she couldn't see. The way she behaved and moved about the city would never had indicated her condition. He wondered about it. His former captain had been blind and was also very well adapted to his situation but he never found out how or why he was that way. But this was a little different. He used her inability to see him staring at her to his advantage. Normally, when he saw an attractive woman, he felt at least a small obligation to pretend he wasn't staring but with her he had no issues with just staring at her. She had a very nice hourglass figure which, much to his disappointment, was fairly well hidden by her uniform.
Hisagi was pulled from this train of thought by a defeated Kira who was obviously more disgusted with his friends behavior than his loss to the young woman. "Hisagi, would you like to give it a try?"
"Ah, no that's okay. One vice captain losing to a new recruit is probably enough for one day."
Though flattered, she didn't seem to like his answer but didn't say anything.
"I think that would be a good place to call it for a day. I'll give Soi Fong a report this evening. She will be pleased. I wish she'd let us know what we were up against."
As they left the training area, Kira approached her again. "With your abilities, I still find it difficult to believe that you were held back in the academy," he began.
"As I said, it was not my choice. My instructors…they felt I was not ready to progress as quickly as the other students. I repeated nearly every year." She carefully informed, obviously uncomfortable.
Hisagi appeared irritated but he didn't want to make her dig any further into that subject. "We are going to dinner after we clean up. Would you like to join us?" he suddenly asked.
She started at the invitation, obviously caught completely off guard. "I…well…"
"It's just an evening meal. Since you beat me, I should treat you anyway," Kira added.
"Maybe another time, but thank you," she blushed deeply and quickly, but politely, took her leave of them and made her way back to her quarters.
"You scared her off," Kira pointed out once she was gone.
"We'll see her again," he informed as though he was going to make a point of that.
Kira wasn't sure he liked his friend's tone. "You're lucky she couldn't see the way you were gawking at her or else she would have demanded to fight you."
Hisagi laughed a little. "She's so hot and she has no idea."
"It's good she has no idea what a pervert you are," he pointed to the 69 on his friend's face, the immediate indicator of the man's nature.
Hisagi smirked. It was nice to meet someone who couldn't judge him based on his appearance…not that all judgments made in that way were incorrect.
They met up with Renji and a few others on their way to dinner and discussed the afternoon with them.
She met up with Matsumoto for dinner, as promised and they too talked over the events of their days.
"Two? She must think very highly of you," the older woman complimented.
Haushinka blushed. "Perhaps. However, they seem to be a different story."
"What do you mean? From your story, it sounds like Kira really respects you. Not many can beat his technique, especially on the first try. And Hisagi, well, it just sounds like he was being lazy."
She made a face of disapproval. "They invited me to dinner afterwards." She admitted as though she were guilty of something.
"Did you want to go? You should have gone with them if you wanted to, I would have understood."
"No," she replied hastily, "Well…I don't know. Kira seems nice enough but Hisagi…" she trailed off.
"Did he say something to you or something?" Matsumoto wondered if she'd been offended in some way. Usually, Hisagi was very well spoken but he had his moments just like any of the other guys.
"He hardly said anything. I don't think he cares for my presence much. Wasn't he Tosen's vice-captain?"
"Yeah, but I don't see why that matters. I think you just got a bad first impression of him, he's actually rather nice."
"No, his first impression was rather good…better than Kira's, in fact. I don't know. Maybe I'm imagining things."