Author's Notes: This short is the first of a set, focusing on all the Shinigami that haven't shown us their Soul Slayers. Enough Chit-chat here's the first installment of Swords of the Soul…Shield.
A shield has but one purpose. It's purpose is to protect, to protect against any form of aggression. Hisagi Shuuhei often thought of himself as a shield, in fact it was the very reason he trained to become one of the greatest barrier specialists in Soul Society. When he was young he had only one wish, to protect those around him, to make sure no harm came to his people, to become a Shield.
The tattooed Vice-captain of 9th squad sat alone in a tree one afternoon. He watched as its' cotton candy colored petals fluttered away in one last moment of life. Shuuhei smiled grimly to himself. "What a morbid thought…such a pretty thing represents death, jeez…" The young Shinigami's thoughts wandered back to a time before he was Vice-captain, when he was only a 7th chair in the 9th squad. He had returned to a barren training ground where only a few years earlier two of his best friends died in a freak attack by a large group of Hollows. Shuuhei had always felt responsible for the deaths that day, he wondered that if he had just sensed the Hollows coming he could have prevented his friends from falling like the petals of a Sakura tree.
Hisagi gazed around the barren city, his eyes misty from painful memories. "Hanisawa…Haoba…" Shuuhei looked up at the night sky craning his neck so his eyes could focus on the glittering heavens above. "I was praised with being some kind of genius, being accepted into the 13 Court Guardians even before graduation….yet two of my friends ended up dead and I got saved by a bunch of newbies." Shuuhei continued his journey around the barren area reliving old memories before he arrived at one spot. It was a port over looking the water and the full moon. This was the same spot he was saved by Captain Aizen Sousuke and his Vice Captain Ichimaru Gin. "What kind of prodigy am I?" His fists clenched in rage as he thought back again to his friends death. "I wasn't strong enough…I couldn't protect them," he continued these laments to himself. Finally he turned his head up and yelled. "COME ON WHY AREN'T YOU HERE NOW? ARE YOU AFRAID OF ME? COME ON YOU COWARDS I'M HERE!" Hisagi Shuuhei collapsed to his knees panting and pounding the ground with his fist. There he sat alone, his eyes shut tightly. Shuuhei could only guess he had been there for a few hours. He stood slowly, his bones creaking from the lack of movement. He was about to leave when something flashed across his senses. He quickly turned around drawing his nameless blade only to find three large Hollows directly behind him. Instead of showing a face of surprise Shuuhei entered a ready stance. "So you actually came…" The young Shinigami's grip tightened on his sword. With a silent decision Shuuhei rushes forward and leaped towards the first Hollow. His blade cut through the monster's marrow mask as if it wasn't even there. Before the creature had even fully disappeared Hisagi was all ready upon the second stabbing his blade through its' mask He quickly left his perch on the second Hollow and pointed his free hand at the third Hollow. "Seireitei!" A wave of concentrated Reiatsu slammed into the Hollow cleansing it as well. The 7th chair landed in a crouch, pleased at the result of his training. Shuuhei was about to sheath his sword before more of the dark creatures appeared. His eyes widened as he took in the full situation, nine Hollows and one Shinigami. Shuuhei gritted his teeth, the wind swept through the area blowing the Shinigami's ebony locks to the side. With no other option but to fight Shuuhei charged forward engaging his gigantic foes. Blades and claws met, Kidou met spirit force, and talons met flesh. Almost thirty minutes into the battles Shuuhei had only eliminated two of the opposition and was not fairing well. He had sustained many cuts the worst being a large claw shaped gash over his right eye. He collapsed to one knee and laughed bitterly. The situation reminded him of what had happened the last time he was here. "Except there's no back-up this time around…" The Hollows neared him, there sinister faces made him sick. He thought back to the bodies of his dead comrades. "…..I can't die yet….I can't die….yet…" Shuuhei was about to strike before he realized he wasn't in the same location as he was mere moments ago. This new word was completely black with a ghostly white mist above the floor. Shuuhei turned and jumped in surprise. Behind him was a huge creature. It's hide was a dark green and it look like a mix between a tortoise and a dragon. The creature snorted and spoke with a great booming voice, "It's about time...Kuso…" Hisagi would usually be offended by such a remark, but for some reason this creature seemed to comfort him somehow. "Who are you?" The creature let out a small laugh. "Bah! You don't know? I'm your comrade in arms!" Shuuhei thought for a moment, but then the realization hit him like a bag of bricks. "You my…Soul Slayer?" "The one and only Kuso. Now listen up well….I've tried to reach you for some time now…but your head seems to be clogged with too much nonsense to hear me!" Shuuhei winced as the decibels of creature voice intensified. "I won't let you die here, that's why I'm going to give you a valuable gift…" Shuuhei looked puzzled. "A gift?" The creature nodded. "A gift….my name…" Shuuhei's jaw dropped slightly. "Now go!" instantly the Shinigami was transported back to the dangerous realm he had recently been in. The Hollows still took steps towards him that ultimately meant his doom. Shuuhei stood and rested his sword on his shoulder. A forest Green Reiatsu surrounded him, his hair whipped around from the sheer force. His eyes went from charcoal black to the same color as his Reiatsu. "Come and get it you bastards…" Four of the Hollows took the invitation and lunged at Shuuhei who quickly rose his sword into the air. "Roten Eieikei! (Stand Forever Strong!)" The Reiatsu he vented became more intense. "…Shinnyo Tate! (Absolute Shield!)" The four attacking Hollows were instantly disintegrated by a powerful force that Shuuhei's sword was emitting. The former nameless blade was now much thicker, almost by half a hand. It was smoothly curved except for the middle which jutted out into a triangular pattern on both sides. The tsuba guard totally vanished and was replaced by a curved golden rectangular plate that covered the front of the hilt, protecting Shuuhei's hands. Engraved on the plate was the kanji for 'Shield'. Finally, a red tassel dangled of the end of the hilt. Shuuhei swung the new sword with ease. The invisible force emitted from the blade pushed the remaining Hollows back. Two of those remaining Hollows made a mad dash for their enemy only to be burned apart by Shinnyo Tate's barrier. The last and largest hollow howled before letting loose a large flare of Spirit force from it's mouth. The ball of energy enveloped Shuuhei and for a moment it looked at if the creature had won…..that is until a figure hurtled from the attack towards it's mask. Shuuhei yelled with all his might as he thrust his newly transformed Soul slayer into the beasts skull. Shinnyo Tate's barrier was so tightly wrapped around the sword that the blade never made connect with Hollow, it's mask was ripped part simply by the invisible shield. Hisagi Shuuhei landed holding his new blade with pride and Shinnyo Tate's green glow soon died down. "So that's your limit eh? Don't worry about it, you've saved me…" Shuuhei held up Shinnyo Tate so he caught the reflection of the moon in his surface. "You and me Shinnyo Tate…lets protect Soul Society….together."