Title: Argh, Bloody Hell!
Summary: Kenpachi hopes he's not too late in acknowledging those around him
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach, Tite Kubo does, if I did I'd have more Isshin caused mayhem, pranks and wake up calls.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the recovery ward of the Fourth Division's General relief Station the large frame of Zaraki Kenpachi sits hunched over impatiently as Unohana tends to the large gash running across his back. Unohana looks sadly at all the scares covering his body serving as a constant reminder of how many times he'd been injured in his search for strong opponents to ease his boredom or satisfy his blood lust. The only thing that saddens her more is that he is apparently oblivious to how much it tears her up inside to see him so injured and just how much she cares for him. More than her other regular patients.
"All done Zaraki Taichou, now please heed my advice and take it easy until it has a chance to heal" she says to the large man earning a single grunt in reply as he begins putting his gi and haori back on. He reaches for his zanpaku-to but stops.
He gulps slowly before asking in a strained voice "Is it hard to get your zanpaku-to to talk to you." Unohana blinks in surprise at his question before cautiously replying, "It depends on each individual and their zanpaku-to. Why do you ask Zaraki Taichou?"
He sighs deeply, "ever since my fight with Ichigo I've kept thinking about how strong he was fighting with Zangetsu as a unit and how he seemed to have some understanding of his zanpaku-to. It reminded me that I can be stronger if I knew my zanpaku-to's name I would be stronger" Unohana speaks softly "there's more to a zanpaku-to than its name, they are not soul-less, they are a reflection of who you are and serves as your partner and your closest ally. Your zanpaku-to is trying to reach you, I can hear it screaming to you as we speak…" "I can't hear the dam thing! That's the problem! I don't hear anything from it," he roars as he stands towering over her. Unohana stares back up at him her as her eyes darken and the smile doesn't reach them causing her to take on an intimidating aura that sends a chill down his spine. "Then maybe you should stop being selfish and thinking about your self and your own strength and consider your zanpaku-to's feelings and the feelings of others." She turns her back to him and looks out the window before continuing "You of all people should understand what it is like to be ignored…to have no name and to be considered a nobody, to be non existent to those around you." Kenpachi realised that he was being dismissed and turned to leave but not before looking at her back and remember the pain and sadness in her tone when she spoke to him and wondered if there was more to what she'd said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kenpachi Zaraki walked through the familiar forests to of north Rukongai district 80 known as Zaraki, where he'd gotten his name from. He sat down on the same rock that he'd been sleeping on the day he'd awoken with his zanpaku-to in his hands.
"alright, tell me your name" he barked looking at his zanpaku-to, realising that this wouldn't work he tried another tact, being nice to it, with a sigh he spoke. "Unohana is right, I've been selfish only wanting to increase my own strength, I know the pain of not having a name, so will you tell me yours so that I can say it to you, so that you have a name. He looked at his zanpaku-to for a long time not blinking, his ears straining to hear even a whisper. He felt his anger rising as he heard nothing. In frustration he screamed out "Argh, Bloody Hell!" suddenly the ground shock as if an earth quake was tearing the ground apart.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next thing he knew Kenpachi was standing on a rocky out crop in the middle of a stormy ocean surrounded by jagged rocks and reefs jutting out of the waves. On almost every rock or reef was a rotting shipwreck dotted occasionally with bones or a full skeleton. Rain poured around him and gale force winds whipped around him as the waves heaved and crashed.
He spun around to come face to face with a large row of blood stained teeth. With a start he jumps back slightly to see a large great white shark emerging from the sea. Its cold, black eyes glared menacingly at him. With a smirk he noticed several small bells attached to its dorsal fin. His grin widens in his familiar shark toothed smile as he takes it all in. "So, you're my zanpaku-to" he says happily "guessing its not too late to learn your name huh" the sharks glare deepens before replying angrily its tone full of spite and dripping venom "You already know my name. how else did you call me asshole!"
Kenpachi dead pans for a moment before barking "wait, ye names Bloody Hell". Kenpachi didn't think the eyes could get any darker but to his surprise the anger smouldering in them intensified. "Yes" it spat " my name is Chimidoro Jigoku."
"Great, now I can be stronger and beat that punk Ichigo," said Kenpachi a maniac smile covering his face as he imagined fighting Ichigo again until his thoughts were interrupted.
"What makes you think I'll help you, that I will give you my strength." Roared the shark as it heaved it self back beneath the waves and vanished beneath the depths.
"Argh" roared Kenpachi as he watched the shark circle him from beneath the waves noticing just how large it was with a whistle seeing that it was over 25 meters long.
Kenpachi looked down at his feet and mumbled something, when he looked up he was facing the rows of teeth again. "Say it again, louder and clearer this time bastard" it spoke menacingly at him. Kenpachi glared back at the shark before reluctantly repeating what he'd mumbled. "Sorry I've ignored you for so long. I remember how painful it is to be alone, to not have anyone to call your name" "I screamed to you daily, desperately hoping you would hear me, wondering if you'd acknowledge me. It was your selfishness that blocked your ears to me," replied the shark sadly.
"Is it not too late for me to change that?" Kenpachi asks hesitantly, the shark replies "You already have," the sharks tone fills with anger once more. "For me to lend you my strength, you gotta promise me two things, one you take the time to learn from me and treat me with respect rather than just as a tool for you to swing around." the sharks tone changes to amusement. "Two, you let me face Zangetsu and promise to let me face strong zanpaku-tos, not weak shit. "Fine" says Kenpachi happily accepting the deal if it meant stronger opponents particularly Ichigo and he holds out his hand to shake. The shark tilts its head to one side, which he figures is its equivalent of raising an eyebrow in amusement. Kenpachi folds his arms across his chest.
'Tell me bout your self then" he asks gruffly trying to sound bored. "Since you're actually making an effort… as you realised, no chanced upon my name is Chimidoro Jigoku. I am a female water element zanpaku-to" she started saying but was interrupted when Kenpachi burst out, the shock obvious in his voice "You're a girl?!" anger returning to the sharks voice "Yes! Not all zanpaku-to are the same gender as their soul reaper. And don't you give me that crap that men are stronger cause I'll bite you and remember Yachiru and Unohana could prove that assumption wrong to name a few strong women"
"Fuck, calm down will ya, I'm just surprised s'all" he says raising his arms before his chest motioning for her to calm down.
"Maybe you should go," she says before adding sarcastically "I'm not used to seeing this much of you" Kenpachi grunts in reply before turning around thinking that it'll return him to the forest. "Kenpachi" she calls out, he turns to face her "I'm not the only one you've been ignoring for too long. See you again soon"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
With that Kenpachi awoke in the forest. He picked up his zanpaku-to to see it looking brand new. He gazed along the blade seeing it looking new with no cracks or chips and noticed that it was serrated along the cutting edge of the blade. "that'll make em bleed" he thought to him self. The 'tsuba' looked expertly polished and the handle he noticed was no longer wrapped in bandages but was now wrapped in blood red silk with a large shark's tooth serving as the 'menuki' and shark skin 'same'. hanging from the 'kashira' were two small bells like the ones in his hair and on his zanpaku-tos dorsal fin.
With a genuine smile he stood up, his gaze falling towards the direction of Serieti but more specifically the fourth division. "Hopefully it's not too late with you too… Retsu"
End.
A/N:
Hope you liked it, I tried to keep them in character as much as possible. I figured a shark for a zanpaku-to would suit Kenpachi and Great Whites are considered one of the most dangerous sharks around (well for Australians they are).
Oh and I threw in a few terms of the various parts of a Katana and clothing in the original japanese, here are the translations:
Menuki: a small decorative piece between the 'same' and the wrapping on the handle
Same: the sharkskin or ray skin used as grip underneath the wrappings on the handle of a sword
Kashira: the end of the handle
Tsuba: the guard
Gi: the top worn with Hakama (pants) that consists of the soul reaper uniform
Haori: the white jacket worn by the captains