CHAPTER 1: THE LONG DAY
It was late, to late. The sound of pitter patting ran across the window, as Kensei sat up, placing a hand on the back of his silver hair, ruffling it. He groaned in frustation, not wanting to be awake this early. The ninth devision had been counting on him to be fully awake concidering he was captian. He leaned back down, pulling the blankets back up and closing his eyes.
The pitter patter was becoming louder, almost as if it were coming tword him. It was coming tword him. It was feet, that now walked into the room sliding the door closed.
"K-kenseeeeiiiii" the voice was farmiliar, but instead of a loud whine, it was a small, fragile whimper. He turned his head to look at the wavy green mop of hair. Her hazel eyes were filled with tears and her face stained red. She was holding a small bear close to her bare chest, and wrapped herself up in the white under part of her uniform. He didn't understand why Mashiro was in his room, in the middle of the night, crying, wearing nothing but the white under shirt of her garb, and her underwear.
He sat up, imediatly alert. "Mashiro what happened?" he felt panic in his usually stern voice.
"I had a-a really bad dream." She whimpered. What was he supposed to do? She had the mental complex of a six year-old. He scooted back, pulling up his covers, as a silent invite for her to join him. She crept forward slowly, trying to make sure it was alright. He gave he a nodd making he pace speed up, and she layed next to him.
He leaned back down, adjusting so she had enough room, and closed his eyes. He felt her nuzzle into his side. She was trembling and he lifted her slightly to place his arm under her, and cup her head to pull her closer. His other hand wrapped around her, still attempting to still her. "What was the dream about?" he questioned her sincerely.
"Well, i was sitting in a forest, watching fire flies buzzing around like i used to when i was little. The fire flies, one bye one began to fade out and i had some empty feeling. Th-then I heard feet. Someone crept up behind mmm-me and slammed me against a tree. I felt a pair of large hands on my waist and befor anything else happened i woke up." He voice was shakey, and laced with genuine fear.
"Is this the first nightmare like that?" He was interested and worried all at the same time.
He felt her shake her head in his chest. "No, i used to have them when i was little, and living in rukongai." He gave a sigh. Was this normal. No, it couldn't have been. He pulled her closer, feeling wet beads against his chest and a feeling of worry sinking deep in the pit of his stomach. All he could do now was hold her. He felt like a father, cradling his 4 year old after a nightmare.
He didn't like feeling like a fatherly figure, and shook the thought out of his head. He felt her dozing into restful sleep, when her breathing became steady. He closed his eyes, wanting to let sleep take him as well, but to no success. He lie there,the small female in his arms, worry in his head, and the pittering of rain mized within it all. Thr rain began to slow, as light peaked through the windows, letting him know it was time to wake up.
He had to go and check on his reports. He gentally adjusted Mashiro, making sure she was laying comfortably. He quietly crept out of th room, sliding the door gentaly. He walked down the hall, his pace quick, and somewhat clumsy. He ignored the large amount of "good morning captains" and continued to look around. Has he stepped to his mail box, he noticed there was nothing in it and let out a sigh of relief.
By the time he had come back to the room, Mashiro was standing up, stretching, yawning, and humming gleefuly. "Morning Kensei!" She wore a large smile, making Kensei's jaw drop to the floor.
"How are you so chipper?" he groaned. Was this the same vulnerable female for last night?
"I'ma go get some clothes on" she cheered, preparing to walk out of the room. He looked her over a look of panic crossing his features. The men in the 9th weren't really used to seeing females like this, because Mashiro was currently the only female.
"NO NO NO!" Kensei shouted, putting his hands out the fend her off from moving twords the hall. "I'll get your clothes!" he quickly did a flip around the sliding door, closing it, and rushing far, far, far down the hall toMashiros room. He couldn't help but groan at the fact that they gave her the farthest room, spacificly so when she got on his nerves she could out run him down the hall. He shuffled into the room groaning again.
It was beyond girly. She somehow had managed to get it painted a pale shade of blue, with butterfly stickers all over the wall. She had ropes of little light bulbs set up to illuminate the area. Her bed was covered in a purple blanket, with rainbow sheets and pillow cases. God she went to the world of the living a lot.
He made his way to the white dresser, looking into the mirror perched above it. God he looked tire. He reached in, grabbing the first black set of clothes with giant sleves. He stormed his way out of the room, wanting to forget the female nightmare, and exchanged it for the sweet dream of his own sanctuary. He slid open the door cocking his eyebrow at the next thing he would see.
Mashiro was sitting on the ground, preforming various yoga poses that he never even deemed possible. She shot up, grasping the clothes in Kenseis hands, and quickly tugging them away, smiling. She sat down, unfolded them, and let a smile play across her lips. Her top looked normal, but when he got downward, he noticed the lower part was more of a komono style skirt, that stopped about an inch above the knee. He sat there baffled.
"Ahhhh Kensei, i see how you are." She smiled.
"N-no you idiot! I swear I had no idea you even owned skirts!" He lashed at her with the words and she just chuckled.
"I got it recently, its just been to cold to wear it." She sighed. She slid the black piece of clothing over the white one she was already wearing. She slid on hr skirt and grabbed her obi, to keep herself concealed. "How do i look?" She giggled spinning around a bit.
He felt flushed flesh creeping up his own neck and shook it off. He thought she looked cute, he wouldn't lie, but he wouldn't tell her that. "What kinda female puts a guy on the spot like that huh?" He looked away, getting the idea of what she had just been wearing befor the skirt out of his head.
"Kennnnsssseeeiiiii! Let's go hang out wth Shinji and Rose again today!" She whines, stomping a foot for empashis.
He sighed, mentally twitching at the thought of his only day off, having to be spent with people. They were his friends, but he was far to tired for Shinji's "hump anything with breasts" attitude, and Rose talking about his hair. But have hell or high water, here he was, walking down the streets in the seireitie, headed twords the 5th division barracks. He could see Mashiro bouncing up and down instead of actually walking. They reached the large gate, as kensei saw Mashiro shunpo through the gate, quicker then he could even blink. "Hey slow down!" He shunpoed after her, as they came to the small courtyard, where Shinji and Rose had already been sitting.
"Hey guys" shinji rang, cracking his usual wide grin.
"Hello" Rose said softly, waving a hand.
"HIIIIIIII" Mashiro bellowed, darting towards the two men. She plopped down in front of them. "Whatcha doin'?" She sing songed.
"Just chillin' how bout yer self" Shinji asked the shorter person.
"I was bored and Kensei is a stupid slow poke."
"I am not!" Kensei bellowed, walking over to the rest of them.
"Good morning Kensei." Rose said with his usual bored smile.
"Hey- mashiro would you try to behave for once?" Kensei's eyes darted to the small green female.
"So what should we do toda-" Shinji was cut off when something came crashing into his face.
"What the hell baldy, why didn't you invite me here!" Hiyori stood over the squad five captian, arms crossed over her chest, and an angry sneer across her face.
"Dammit snaggletooth!" Shinji screamed, rubbing his nose.
"Alright, thats it." Kensei said standing up. He grabbed his vice captian by the arm, pulling her up and tucking her under his arm. "We're leaving, we'll be back later."
"KENNNNSSSEEEEIIIII!PUT ME DOWN!" Mashiro whined, punching and kicking him, till he had shunpoed out. "Why'd you make us leave!" She continued to whine. "We weren't even there for like, 5 minutes!"
"Would you shut up! I already have a head ache!" He growled at her. They didn't speak after that. Once they got back to the barracks, he set her down, and she quickly flashed away, leaving him to stare off at the spot she was in, only seconds before. Kensei walked back to his room and decided he'd try and fall asleep. He slid open the door, and quickly walked over to his bed, tossing aside his haori, and his kosode. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep, with regrets for upsetting the the irritating female member of the 9th division.
Kensei woke up to someone yelling at him. His first thoughts were that it was Mashiro, but he noticed the voice belong to a man. He slowly opened his eyes, to see his 4th seats red hair dangling in his face. "captian, captian wake up it's an emergency!"
"What eishima.." Kensei groaned.
"Vice Captian Kuna's missing!"
Kensei shot out of bed, quickly running down the hall before Eishima could say anything else. He ended up on the second floor, at the last hallway, at the very end, slamming open the door to Mashiro's room. "Dammit!" Kensei found himself panicking, as he continued to run down the hallway. "She can't be so upset, she decided to run off."
"We don't know where she went, but she told Tousen and Todou that she would be back later, but she never came back." Kensei stopped in place, pausing to think. Before knew it he was running through rukongai searching for her. He spent most of the night seaching till he came across a small cliff, over looking all of rukongai. He paused, walking cautiously over the cliff, hand near his zanpakuto in case of hollows.
He stopped at the end, looking to find Mashiro, curled up on the ground, gazing out at god knows what. He sat down next to her, trying to stay calm and not be as hot headded as usual. "What are you looking at?"
"My district."
"Which one is it?"
"78"
"That must have been rough." He stopped, looking over to her face. Her eyes were glazed over with tears, something about them making his chest ache. He stopped himself from getting the slightest bit sentimental, reminding himself that she was nothing more then a subordinate.
"I hated it, but it's where i grew up-its home." He could hear her choking tears in her own throat. He had never seen her so vulnerable, so serious, so fragile. He hated it. It was the opposite of her normal bubbly, care free attitude. "I don't like being taken away from friends...I don't like the idea of losing people...i...i don't know what im rambling about, but i know Kensei must think im pretty stupid right now." She spoke as if he weren't even there.
"Your only being stupid because you think i think your stupid." He mumbled. He placed comforting hand on her head, attempting to stop the choking sound the tears were causing. She looked up at him sniffling. She looked tired, and scared. He lifted her up off the ground, making sure to carry her more gently this time. "Go to sleep, you look tired."
"I'm not tire..." She mumbled, clearly lying.
"Shut up, and don't be stupid."
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