A War of Balance:
A TYBW Reimagining
Chapter 1
Yuki Ryūnosuke stood dozing outside of the 13th Division barracks. His new assignment had come through the week before, and today was the day he'd be deployed as one of the new guardian Shinigami of Karakura Town in the living world. It was an exciting new direction for his career, but also a frightening one. In the end, his nerves got the better of him, and he didn't sleep much at all the night before.
He could barely keep his eyes open, and the pleasantly cloudy sky overhead wasn't helping. It was the perfect weather for a nice, long nap. He could picture it clearly; lying in a hammock, rocking gently in the comfortably chilly breeze. What he wouldn't give to push his deployment back a day so he could make that dream a reality.
Maybe, if he was quick, he could go do it before he had to leave. It wouldn't take long at all if he limited himself to a half-hour nap . . . or two. Really the whole event could wait for him, couldn't it? It wasn't like they could transfer guardian duties without one of the new guardians present, right?
His mind made up, Ryūnosuke turned to head back to the barracks. He didn't have all day, much to his dismay, so he had to go as soon as possible.
"And where do you think you're going?" A familiar voice called out to him, giving him a start. He looked around, but didn't see anyone he knew. Until she slapped him upside the head, that is. "Over here, idiot."
Ryūnosuke turned to face his attacker, "Ouch! Don't hit me like that, Shino-san!"
"You won't see me if I don't!" Madarame Shino's eyebrows twitched with irritation, making a bulging vein on her rather large forehead jiggle. "Hurry and wake up already. We'll be leaving for the mission soon."
"Yeah, but . . ." Ryūnosuke wilted. He wouldn't be getting that nap after all, it seemed. "We don't have to head out right away, so can't we relax for a little while longer?"
"What? Are you scared or something?"
"Not exactly. I'm just a little nervous. Karakura Town's supposed to have a high Hollow appearance rate and all." Ryūnosuke slunk back under Shino's disapproving glare, "And there's that Shinigami Representative that's supposed to be real strong there already, so we shouldn't have to rush. And-"
"Quit being such a wuss!" Shino exploded, looming over Ryūnosuke and jamming a finger into his chest. "We're both going specifically so that we don't have to ask the Representative for help! And with two Shinigami, a few extra Hollows are no problem! And don't give me that 'I'm nervous' bull either. We were chosen for this mission. So don't go acting like you're fresh out of the academy!" Shino's voice died down and she heaved angrily at her partner.
Ryūnosuke took this opportunity to slip out from under the taller Shinigami. "Ok, ok. I get it." He rubbed his chest where Shino's finger prodded and pouted. "But what do you expect me to do about being chosen? It's a big honor and all, but I-"
"Oh stop whining already! Just stick out your chest and act like you deserve to given the responsibility, will ya." Shino pounded her modest chest with her fist, and Ryūnosuke laughed." What? What's so funny?"
Although Ryūnosuke tried to stifle it, he simply wasn't strong enough. "No, it's just . . . sticking out your chest wouldn't amount to much for yo-!" A solid fist crashed into Ryūnosuke's smiling face, sending him bouncing along the road.
It wasn't the ideal he had hoped for, but he got his nap in the end.
+ break +
Ryūnosuke and Shino stood stiffly before the towering Senkaimon gate. In just a few minutes, they would be embarking on their first solo mission into the living world. Even Shino, with all of her bravado and talk of confidence, shifted her weight uneasily. Ryūnosuke poked at the large, fist-shaped limps on his face, wincing at the dissipating pain. He was thankful for the distraction, at least.
He'd likely have to put up with many injuries like these going forward, but that wasn't the worst thing in the world. He'd happily put up with a few bumps and bruises if it meant someone had his back, and having someone familiar around was kind of a relief. Even if she did have a horrible temper when it came to her flat chest.
The Senkaimon gate lit up, coming to life as a swirling vortex. This gate would take them straight to Karakura Town and away from their comfortable, simple lives of busy work within the Seireitei. Ryūnosuke took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Ah! I'm glad I made it before you left!" Someone called out to the pair just before they stepped through the gate. Both of their shoulders jumped when they turned to find the Captain of the 13th Division strolling up to them. "Yuki Ryūnosuke and Madarame Shino . . . I thought I'd come by and see you off on your first major assignment."
Ukitake Jūshirō stood tall over the two novice Shinigami, giving off a friendly aura despite his position. That he would come all this way to see them off, despite his dubious health, was a tremendous honor. And whole new source of nerves. Ryūnosuke and Shino stood at attention, unsure of how to respond.
The Captain chuckled, "No need to be so stiff. I can see that you're nervous, and I assumed that you would be. Most of the time we'd send more experienced Shinigami on missions like these. However, it was decided that you both showed great promise, and so would be sent out together in the hopes that you will help each other grow." He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. His long, boney fingers-gaunt like the rest of his body-held them in a comforting grip. "Tell me, did you two know that Shinigami were once called 'Balancers'?"
Ryūnosuke blinked, realizing the question was not rhetorical. "Yes, sir. Of course."
"Good. That title was in many ways far more appropriate for the job we do. All worlds, the living world, Soul Society, and even the Hollow realm of Hueco Mundo, exist in equilibrium. Every soul, alive or dead, resides in one of these worlds. When someone in the living world passes, we shepherd their soul here, to Soul Society. When denizens of our world here die, the reverse is true. Even the lost souls of Hollows are our responsibility to purify. In doing so, we shift the balance of souls, hopefully towards the ideal equilibrium. Now, do you know why I'm telling you this?"
Ryūnosuke and Shino looked at each other and shook their heads. Ukitake laughed and rested his hands on his hips. "I say this because the balance that we Shinigami represent is present in all facets of life. There are living people, so there are Hollows to prey on them. There are Hollows, so there are Shinigami to purify them. And there are Shinigami, so living people can live out their lives peacefully. The one and only piece of advice I will leave you with before you set off is this: Find the balance between yourselves and the world around you. Find the balance between yourselves and the Hollows you come across. And finally, find the balance between the two of you. Work together and grow."
It could be hard to take the Captain of the 13th Division seriously at times. After all, how could you put your faith in a leader that couldn't stand in the sun too long without keeling over? That was often how Ryūnosuke felt about the man, but now, looking up into his Captain's stern, confident eyes, he felt inspired by him. Captain Ukitake believed in them, genuinely. That alone blew all of the nerves away.
"Alright, I've said my piece. Now, you two get out there and show Karakura Town what you're made of." Ukitake waved the pair off and turned to leave. They watched him go for several seconds, but he never looked back. He trusted them to do their best.
Ryūnosuke and Shino looked at each other with renewed confidence. They were partners in this mission. As long as they could strike a balance between them, everything should turn out well. With a synchronized breath, the pair stepped through the Senkaimon gate.
And out into the night sky above Karakura Town.
"Oh, finally! You certainly took your time, didn't you?" A Shinigami with a prodigious afro stood in the air with his arms crossed. His eyebrows, almost as thick and bushy as the bulb of hair on his head, twitched.
Ryūnosuke bowed his head slightly, "Ah, yeah, sorry about that." Shino followed suit, though her bow was considerably more shallow.
The afro man's shoulders rolled in an exaggerated sigh. "It's fine, it's fine. As long as you're aware of your mistakes. You can't learn to walk without stumbling a few times. And just so you know, that goes double for the job you'll be taking over." He waved his arms in a flourish that ended in a confident wink and a thumbs up, and introduced himself in a loud voice. "As I'm sure you've heard, my name is Kurumadani Zennosuke, now former guardian of Karakura Town! You two, Yuki-kun and Madarame-kun! From now on, you will be taking over my duties here. Do your best, and don't get too caught up in trying to reach my level. Got it?"
Kurumadani barely gave a moment for the pair to nod their heads before continuing. "The job speaks for itself for the most part, so work hard at exterminating Hollows, and someday you might be as great as me!" With a casual salute and an unsettling wink, Kurumadani disappeared into the Senkaimon gate, leaving Ryūnosuke and Shino alone.
The former guardian's sudden exit left an awkward silence that made Ryūnosuke's skin itch.
"If someone like that can handle this job, we shouldn't have any issues." Shino said, scanning the shadowy horizon with a flat gaze. "Well, better get started. You check the area south of here. I'll head north. We'll meet up here around sunrise, alright?"
"Wait, we aren't going to make the rounds together?"
"Why would we do that? What's the point of sending two of us if we just stick to each other? Talk about a waste of time." Shino looked into Ryūnosuke's nervous eyes and her face scrunched up. "You aren't scared, are you? We just got here."
Ryūnosuke stuck out his chest and spoke firmly, "I am scared!"
"Quit being such a baby!" He was only being honest, but she yelled at him anyway. Fixing the fabric she wore in her hair, Shino turned, "Whatever. I'm going to get started. Go off on your own and try to grow a spine." She leaped away, sticking to a row of nearby rooftops. "And don't slack off either," she called back.
"But what about that thing the Captain told us about?" Ryūnosuke muttered to himself. He turned to take off in the opposite direction, like Shino said, but his motivation was shot. He'd never been to this place before, so how was he supposed to know where to look for Hollows? And wouldn't it be better to wait until morning so they can get a better look at the town, instead of trying to remember the layout in the dark?
Honestly, Shino could be so bullheaded sometimes. Maybe she got it from her brother. He was in the 11th division, apparently, and everyone knew those guys were a bunch of muscle brained thugs . . . or so Ryūnosuke thought.
He'd never say that to her face, though.
Hopping along at a lackadaisical pace, Ryūnosuke occupied his mind with worries. They were supposed to spend most all of their time in Karakura Town as long as they were assigned there. That meant they needed to arrange a place to stay. Sleeping on a bench didn't sound very appealing even if no one would be able to see him do it. And what about food? Water could probably be found easily enough, but they couldn't waltz into a restaurant and place an order. Then again, food delivery services were on the rise in Soul Society, so maybe the living world had something similar.
It would be nice if he could get some cold soba.
Just then, he heard a sharp noise. It was startling, embarrassingly so, but a quick check revealed nothing special. "Probably just a cat or something . . . I wonder if it's still around." He'd heard that animals like cats were far more sensitive to the spiritual world than human beings, so maybe he could even pass some time playing with it.
Ryūnosuke wore a silly grin as he called to the unseen feline. His head was filled with visions of parting ways with Shino each night and coming to spend time with a furry friend. Now that would make this mission a little more enjoyable. That was hoping for too much, however.
He heard the sharp noise again, but this time it was closer and harsher, and there was no mistaking what would make a sound like that. It was definitely not a cat. Ryūnosuke froze as he met a monstrous Hollow rounding a corner. The creature's lone eye, centered on its skull, shot to him. It stopped and tilted its head, making its long teeth, already arranged in what seemed like a grin on a skull-like face, look even more sinister. Its torso was a mass of bulging muscles, and each rippling arm ended in a long sword like leg stalk similar to a spider's. Ryūnosuke caught a brief glimpse of the thing's lower body, looking like the back half of a giant snake but covered in fur.
For a moment, he and the Hollow traded surprised stares, but that peaceful shock wasn't to last. Ryūnosuke turned on the spot and fled with all his strength. He let out a terrified wail as he leaped through the air, the Hollow hot on his heels.
It was way too strong and way too horrible for him to handle on his own, so he retraced his steps the best he could, heading in the direction he remembered Shino going. "Shino-san! I found one!" He cried, dodging this way and that, barely escaping the spiking blows of the monster howling behind him. "Please, Shino-san! You yell at me all you want! I'll even let you hit me a bunch! So give me a hand! Shino-san!"
As horribly frightened as he was, Ryūnosuke felt the edges of his mouth start to perk up. He wasn't the battle oriented type, but actually asking Shino to hit him or make fun of him was so strange. It would have actually made him laugh he wasn't already crying out. In an odd sort of way, he was looking forward to Shino's overaggressive criticism. "Shi-" He cried out again, but the sound died in his throat.
Bracing himself against a the wall of a roof access staircase, he witnessed something far more terrifying than the Hollow chasing him.
There were at least four of them, all twice as big as the one closing in on him. They were all gathered together, their eyes fixed on something in one of the creatures' hands. It was a body. No, it was Shino! Her body was limp and clutched loosely a Hollow's fist. Spots of blood stained the thing's fingers curling around her.
Ryūnosuke drew his Zanpakuto with a shaky hand. It was only the two of them there. He was the only one who could save her. But . . . his legs shook and his vision lost focus. His breathing was shallow and all of a sudden he was feeling lightheaded. I have to . . save Shino-san . . . He forced himself to take a step forward. Then the Hollow chasing him caught up, and he was too focused on Shino that he didn't notice it's leg, like a deadly spike, was poised to crush him.
With the added shock of a surprise attack, Ryūnosuke was knocked away like a doll. His body bounced across the rooftop, leaving a small pool of blood behind. By the time his mind caught up with what had happened, he could no longer move. His body was numb, save for a dull, cold ache across the side of his face and down his neck. No . . . way. How could one hit . . . do this? His consciousness was fading quickly, but he still found Shino with his one good eye. She's not moving . . . at all. We're going to die. I don't want that! I don't . . . want to die. I want to save . . . Shino-san!
In a flash that left spots in his vision, the Hollow looming over Ryūnosuke and the one holding Shino were cut down.
Ryūnosuke's good eye opened wide as a man in a black shihakushō, the same as he wore, appeared on the roof.
"I'd heard Afro-san was being replaced," the man said, addressing Ryūnosuke without looking at him, "so I take it that you guys are supposed to be the new guardians? You better get it together. If you can't do more than that guy, then you're pretty much useless."
"Who . . ." Ryūnosuke tired to ask the unknown Shinigami who he was, but he was having trouble breathing.
The orange haired Shinigami drew his Zanpakuto, a large chunk of metal with a chain attached to the hilt. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, Shinigami Representative."