Ribbons of Blood

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or any of its characters.

AN: I'm not sure if this story will be finished, as most of my ideas are from pure bursts of inspiration. But so far it looks good, so I hope you'll stick around for a bit :)

EDIT 07/04/2014: HI THERE! Just a quick word before you begin the story: this has been a work-in-progress for over three years now, and as a result there will be a few minor inconsistencies and errors as you read along, such as my writing style and my OC's nickname changing. :'D I apologize for them being there, it's just that it's a lot to proof read and life has been a major pain, but I will do my best to get to all of them. If you could help me point out some errors that would also mean so much. This story has been one of my longest and most beloved projects, and I'm determined to finish it! I hope you enjoy :D

"Hurry up Ketsueki! We're gonna be late!"

An aggressive voice rang outside the small and barely furnished room. A young woman, who looked more like a girl in her late teens, was rummaging through a bundle of clothes desperately on the wooden floor, searching for something. Her black hair, which trailed to the middle of her back, was held away from her forehead with a small clip. Her pale green eyes held a worried expression as her hands clawed through the clothes.

"KETSUEKI! If you don't – okay, that's it. I'm breaking down the door."

With a loud crash, the sliding door crumpled inwards, and with another prod, fell defeated to the ground.

Renji Abarai stepped into the room, hands on his hips, an exasperated look spread on his face. He glared at the girl and bit his lip. "What is taking you so long?" he demanded.

Ketsueki threw a ball of white stockings across the room, followed by an extra Spirit Academy uniform. She looked as if she was about to cry. "I can't find it!" she sobbed.

"What? Can't find what?"

"My sash! Where's my sash? I've been looking everywhere for it!"

A pause of immense disbelief. "You're joking. It's right there on the chair." Renji sighed. He grabbed Ketsueki's upper arm, hauled her to her feet, wrapped the sash around her waist, and pushed her out the door. They continued down a long, empty corridor, sprinting all the way.

"So, which captain is it this time?" asked Ketsueki anxiously. The pair were nearing the end of their training in the Spirit Academy, and, once in a while, captains came to select a few shinigami to join their division. Ketsueki held high respect for each and every one of the captains, and it did not matter who chose her. She revered all the captains.

All the captains, except for one.

"Captain Zaraki," answered Renji as they turned a corner. Ketsueki nearly tripped over the hem of her uniform as the name left Renji's lips.

"What? You rushed me out so I could be inspected by that guy?" Ketsueki stopped running immediately and shot a hurt look at Renji. "You know how I feel about him."

Renji was practically steaming with rage as he dragged Ketsueki forwards. Through gritted teeth he said, "Whether or not you like him, it is the captain's decision which division you're sent to, got it? Anyway, teachers' orders. All students have to be down in the hall."

"No! I don't care! I'm not risking it, even the slightest chance, of being in his division!"

"WELL I DON'T CARE EITHER, BUT EITHER WAY WE HAVE TO BE THERE IN-"

"What is all this noise?" An Academy instructor suddenly appeared before them. The teacher scowled and jerked his head to the right, toward the assembly hall. "Aren't you meant to be in the hall right now?"

"Y-yes sir," stammered Ketsueki, still struggling with Renji's vice-like grip.

"Well, get going then!"

Everyone seems to be moody this morning, thought Ketsueki as they neared the large set of double doors. If it had been any other captain, her heart would have been thumping loudly with anticipation and eagerness as she entered the spacious room. Her biggest dream was to serve a kind, brave, and motivating captain. And she was sure most of her classmates shared the same ideals. But she knew Kenpachi Zaraki was no such captain. From what she had heard throughout her time at the Academy, he was a brutal, ruthless and pitiless man, if not slightly insane with blood-lust. Without even meeting the man, she resented him. With no reservations.

Ketsueki Donato was a fairly reserved person. People often scolded her for her tendency to shut down on herself, but no one could deny that she had a pure heart. As she apologized for her late arrival and stood in line with a group of other students, she thought about what she valued in this life. She valued friendship. She valued trust. She valued honesty. She found it impossible to think that Captain Zaraki would be someone who valued these things. In fact, Ketsueki thought it was safe to say he did not even value his sword, since he did not have a bankai. He was the only captain who had failed to achieve this, and the only reason he was at his position was because he had killed his predecessor. She winced at the thought.

And that was why she kept her eyes down, why she slumped her shoulders ever so slightly, why she appeared even shier than she normally was. For more than any moment in her entire life, Ketsueki did not want to be noticed.

Suddenly, a loud, growling voice echoed in the large room, "So, which one of you wants to be in my division, eh?" Accompanied with this voice was a crushing pressure that seemed to make everything in the hall appear smaller, less significant. Ketsueki bit her lip and ignored the voice. She was standing in a line of about thirty other students. There was a one in thirty chance she would be chosen. She was safe in numbers. Surely.

Footsteps thudded on the floor, like the sound of some monstrous beast stalking its prey. The tense atmosphere sent shivers down Ketsueki's spine. Or maybe she was just imagining the tense atmosphere, since it was so important to her that she did not end up in his division. Don't look at me, don't look at me.

"You, show me your kido skills."

Ketsueki inhaled sharply and looked up. No one was in front of her. Zaraki was inspecting someone else, not too far from where she stood. His voice was loud and carrying even from a distance. She breathed a sigh of relief and, curious, peeked past Renji's shoulder. One of the students uttered an incantation, and a red glow shimmered in his hands before whizzing down the hall and splintering the wood on a pillar.

"Hmm...not too bad. But I really don't give a damn about kido." Which begged the question why he had asked for a demonstration in the first place. Ketsueki had the impression that the man didn't have a clue as to what he was doing.

The inspection continued for another half an hour. Students fought each other, out-competed each other, chanted more incantations, but Zaraki could not seem to decide on who to pick. Smoke was starting to build in the hall, despite its sheer size; splinters littered the floor, dust flew everywhere, and more and more people were becoming wary and restless. Ketsueki guessed this was because of a rumour she had heard: apparently Zaraki could not accurately judge how strong an opponent was by sensing their spirit energy. She sighed under her breath and shifted next to Renji. She found she was getting tired standing on her two feet.

Fortunately an instructor shared her thoughts, for he said, "Captain Zaraki, I apologize for disturbing you, but-"

"Shut up. I'm not done here yet."

"But, sir-"

"SHUT IT. I'll tell you when I've made my decision."

"Could I at least recommend one of my students?" He cleared his throat. "Maybe Ketsueki Donato?"

Ketsueki was so surprised she could not restrain herself. "What?" she exclaimed at her teacher.

"Ketsueki, eh?"

And that was when Ketsueki set eyes on the captain of the Eleventh Division. His scarred face scrutinized her, a smirk lifting one corner of his mouth, revealing his sharp, glinting teeth. His black hair was held back in a most peculiar way, which made him seem all the more menacing. He was feral looking, almost. His large shoulders seemed to cast a shadow over Ketsueki's smaller frame, and she actually took a step back in fear. What was he going to do? She clasped her hands in front of her to stop them shaking.

"Ahh, I see that you have decided to expand?" the instructor commented from the side.

"What the fuck you on about?"

"I-I mean to say, your division is known for its all-male membership. But this is a good step towards-"

"Yeah, yeah, first time for everything." Zaraki's gaze never left Ketsueki. It was like he was sizing her up and deciding how best to make her suffer. Was he really that bored? "Tell me about this girl here."

"Ketsueki is a most diligent student. Her kido skills-"

"Told you, I don't give a damn about kido skills!"

"R-right. She is an adept fighter, has a strong determination to do well, and is also one with a lot of potential. Her skills with a sword is progressing very quickly. She has obtained good theory grades. She is a bit quiet in class, but her contributions are always worthy to listen to. She is most prized for her immediate reflexes..."

Ketsueki's mind was spinning. This did not make sense. She was definitely not the best student in any of her classes. She wasn't being modest; it was true. She was not strong or smart to a point that made her special. And then, as she glanced around her, she realized that the better students had all been rejected, for some odd reason. Zaraki was being especially picky today...

Something caught her eye. Without a thought, she threw herself backwards and landed clumsily, her feet sliding beneath her. She sat on the ground, dazed. There was a small, crackling, sizzling crater where she had been standing only a second ago. Breathing sharply, Ketsueki looked up to see Zaraki grinning at her, behind the crater. "Immediate reflexes. Guess your teacher wasn't lyin' about that, then." He sheathed his sword and and headed for the exit.

"Get your things packed, girl. I'll be back tomorrow."

Ketsueki sat there, completely and utterly stunned. With a mixture of bad luck, impatience, and unwanted help from her teacher, Ketsueki had just landed a spot in the one division she had feared joining.

Her eyes found Renji's, who was as shocked as she was.

"Damn."

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