Today is the day we leave. We are going to Japan, me, my mom, my dad, and my younger brother Jacob. Poor kid. He doesn't want to leave. He is finally entering high school. He doesn't want to lose all of his friends. He's afraid that they will never talk to him. As we drive to the airport he is saying goodbye to all of his friends. I've already said goodbye to my friends. We promised to write, email, and call. Why write, because emails are overrated. We have no one to see us off. I guess they are afraid that this would be the finally goodbye. Our flight was uneventful, but as we were touching down, I thought I saw a guy in a black kimono with a sword at his side. But I passed it off as an illusion. We had no one to greet us either. Our ride to the house from the airport was uneventful. But along the way my thoughts kept going back to the guy with the sword. For some reason I couldn't let it go. I then decided that it was because of the lack of sleep during the flight. When we got to the house I helped take the stuff in the house, and then locked myself in my room. Tomorrow we start school. So I got to unpack my clothes.
"Chro! Come down to eat now!" my mother yelled.
I have a bad feeling about something in Japan. "Here I come" I replied. If I don't hurry, she will drag me downstairs.
One week later.
For a week I haven't seen that guy or anyone like him. So I thought I was fine. That was until I saw a ghost. Well the guy called it a soul. Here's what happened.
School finally let out. "Chro, are you going home?" Jacob asked.
"Yea, I gotta do something, why?"
"Can you tell mom that I'm out with friends?" he asked
My brother, Jacob, has friends? When did that happen? Here he was a week ago worrying about his friends back home when he made new ones.
"Yea, I gotcha" I said. "Thanks" was his reply. Then he was gone.
Wow her I haven't attempted to make a friend and Jacob have already made some. So as I left I started thinking about that guy. Trying to convince myself that he was a figment of my imagination, I see a little boy standing by the river. He looked lost so I decided to help him. When I got 5 feet from him, somebody suddenly appeared in front of me and pulled out his katana. I freaked out and ran to try to help the kid. But the kid just stood there. Before I could reach them the guy had touch the hilt to the child's forehead. What? That was the only thing running through my mind at that moment. When I finally got there, the kid said thanks just before vanishing.
"What just happened?" I screamed.
Startled, the guy turns around and said "You can see me?" You can see me? What does that suppose to mean.
"You're not invisible man, yea I can see you!"
"This is not good" he stated.
"What's not good?" I asked.
"If you can see me, then that means…" he started
"What are you trying to" was all I could get out.
Cause at the moment, it looked as if the air was breaking apart. At that moment this horrible experiment gone wrong looking thing came out.
"A shinigami and a human, this must be my lucky day" it said.
SHINIGAMI!?!
"But shinigami means death god. There's only two ways you are supposed to be able to see a death god. That's to be close to death or be very sensitive to the spirit world."
"You're not close to death, at least you wasn't" the shinigami said. "You have a very high spiritual pressure. That is what allowed you to see me. And that's what attracted this Hollow!"
"What? How could… oh but how did I get these abilities?" I asked
"I don't know. Your human right? So I couldn't tell you… back up NOW!" he said.
"Raise your head, Wabisuke" the guy screamed.
His sword did the weirdest thing. The end bent in twice. It looked like a seven. I was in awe.
"You think you can beat me weakling?" the hollow asked
"As Captain of Squad 3, I didn't have to unleash my zanpakuto. I just want things to be over!" he screamed.
Captain? Squad 3? There is more than one shinigami? How many? How many squads? He's a captain? But he looks weak! As soon as I thought the last one, he swung once and killed the hollow. WOW! Wait he said something about zanpakuto? Was he talking about his sword?
"Hey are you ok?" he asked me
"Yea, in a way why?" I asked.
"Well, although it was for an instant, I unleashed about half of my power. That was enough to knock you out. Well it was supposed to." He said.
For one instant like he said, I felt a lot of power. It was the moment he swung. But it was barely noticeably. Maybe I don't have power.
"Yea I felt it, but it was kinda faint." I replied.
"Faint? Your sure?" he asked me. "Maybe you're stronger than I thought. Come with me"
"Where to?" I asked. "Wait where did you." At that instant, I blacked out.
When I woke up, a little girl was standing on top of me. Why she didn't weight much, I wondered.
"Kenny, Sleepy is awake!" she yelled.
What? Kenny, Sleepy, well I figured sleepy was me, but Kenny? Who is that?
Then I felt it. Actually I heard bells first. Then the power that came from the direction of the bells. This guy with 11 spikes on his head showed up. They were made of hair, his hair, but each one had a bell on the end.
He was fearsome. But it was the power that scared me the most. I don't know why but for some reason I had the feeling that he was hiding some.
"Who's Sleepy?" He asked.
"Are you Kenny?" I asked him.
The little girl on my chest suddenly moved with speed that didn't match her age. Something told me she was hiding power as well.
"His name is Zaraki Kenpachi, Captain of Squad 11! And I'm his vice captain, Yachiro." The little girl said.
Captain of Squad 11? So there are at least 11 squads? That explains the 11 bells and the hair. She's vice-captain? How is that?
"Yachiro. Calm down. I'm not going to kill him yet. He heard my bells. I want to fight him!" Kenpachi stated.
Fight? Why would he want to fight me? Wait how did he know I heard his bells? What's so important about it? Why is he wearing an eye patch?
"Where am I?" I asked.
"Hospital. Basically the Barracks of Squad 4." He answers. "I have to take you to see the commander now."
Next thing I knew I was being hoisted up by him. And being dragged out of the building to some place. This guy is crazy strong. One the way I asked random questions and learned something about this place. Like why he was wearing the white coat when most of everyone else we saw walking around was wearing black. Apparently only the captains wear it. What, that one guy who said he was the Captain of Squad 3 didn't wear a white overcoat.
"Before I was brought here, there was a guy who stated that he was a Captain. He said that he was the Captain of Squad 3, he wasn't wearing the overcoat. Why" I asked Kenpachi.
"Kira? He doesn't like wearing it. Has something to do with another guy. He's getting another one made." He replied. "Now stop asking me questions."
Oh so that's why he didn't have it on. I was quiet the rest of the way to the commander's place, just thinking to myself.
When we got there, there were 11 other people waiting on me and Kenpachi. The person, whose name is Kira, was wearing his captain clothes now.
Kenpachi put me down, and then got in line. With him there were 12 captains, but he told me that there were 13 squads. Named the Gotei 13. They are the protection of the worlds. So they were missing one.
There was this old guy with a beard half the length of his body. For some reason I automatically assumed he was in charge. When he spoke it was confirmed.
"I am Captain of Squad 1, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. I'm sure Kenpachi have told you little about us but told you enough" he said.
All I could do was nod. There was so much power coming from him. I couldn't speak at first. As I was in awe, I heard a chuckle.
"Old man… why would you do that to him. He can't even speak." Someone said.
"Do you know why you are here?" Yamamoto continues as if he didn't hear him.
"No. To be honest, I don't come here under my own power" I said matter of factly.
At that moment, Kira stepped out of line and kneeled and apologized formerly.
"Look. You don't have to apologize. I really hate it when people apologize for no reason. If you bought me here, you must have had a valid reason. So get up for you're making your new jacket dirty." I told him.
Shocked, he got back up, dusted himself off and stood back in line.
'WOW. That guy has some guts to speak to a captain like that.' Kenpachi thought. 'I might get along with him. That is if I don't kill him when we fight.'
"There is a reason you're here. Kira, the Captain whom you addressed, told us about your spiritual pressure. Now what is bothering us now is that it is a very unusual for humans to have this ability.
Now we can do something about it since it hasn't completely awakened. We can completely take it away or completely awaken it." He said.
Something about the way he said awaken didn't sit well.
"There is a price to pay for keeping your power." He started. "First and foremost you will have to listen to me. Second you will have to attend my school."
Attend his school? But I'm already in school. How am I to do that?
"The last part is that you will be wiped away from the memories of everyone you've encountered. It would be like you were never born. No one will know you. You will remain in soul society till your death. You will be allowed to visit but not stay." He said. "To gain the power you have, you must give up your life."
WOW! That was unexpected. Give up the life I had to do what? I fully understood the position of a shinigami and what position they're in, but to give up my life?
"Why exactly do I have to give up the life I have in order to obtain power I posses?" I asked him.
"Your power will awaken soon. If it did so in the real world, you would endanger everyone around you. Even if you kill the hollows, more will come. Eventually you will tire and everyone around you will die. Even you. And you could force others who have potential to awaken thus endangering them even more." One of the captains behind me said.
I looked back behind me. The same Captain who spoke out of turn last time had spoke again. In an instant I was in front of him.
"See your power has already awoken some." He said.
I barely heard the last thing he said. My mind was worried about how I got in front of him so fast.
"That was faster than Shunpo" someone said.
Shunpo? What?
"Order!" Yamamoto ordered.
"Kyouraka, you will not speak out of order. Byakuya, I expected more from you as head of a noble family." He said.
So the guy in front of me was Captain Kyouraka and the other guy is Byakuya.
"Tell me, is what you said true?" I asked Kyouraka.
"Yes. It is. Now I would apologize, but you might get mad." He replied.
"Wow. That's messed up. And you learn fast," I told him.
"Well, I'm not a captain for nothing." He said.
"Chronos." Yamamoto said.
"Excuse me. You may address me by Chro. Everyone does. I rather be a bird than time." I told him
"Is that so?" a voice asked.
Now I was startled. I started looking around when I realized that the voice was in my head.
"Ummm. Someone spoke to me. Who said that?" I stammered.
"I was afraid this would happen." Yamamoto said. "I was going to give you a week to make your choice. But it seems like that choice has been made by your subconscious already. Everyone outside now."
I stayed put, thinking he wanted to talk to me in person when he gets up a head towards the door.
"Then moment you heard the voice, I became your teacher, master, punisher, and friend. That means that you to must follow orders. Outside!" he told me.
So I followed him outside.
"Sir, if I may ask, why are we outside?" Kyouraka asked.
"You will find out. Now silence!" Yamamoto told him. "Ryuujin Jakka, tell him he may appear."
Who was he talking too? Who was he talking about? Then everyone looked up as we heard a beat of wings. This gigantic beast touched down in the field before us. He was enormous. I see why we had to come outside. He was not fitting in there.
"You still rather be a bird?" it said.
It was a dragon. A creature of myth. It was big enough for me to sleep on its head.
"Do you know who I am?" It continued.
"Ummm. Taimu. You're Taimu." I told it.
The second I said its name a katana appeared in front of me.
"I am Taimu. The time keeper. I've waited more years than you know for you. I am your Zanpakuto." Taimu said.
Then it disappeared into the katana. As seen as I grabbed the zanpakuto, I felt him transferring power to me. Then the world went black.
As I awoke several hours later, the first thought in my head was that this place is dangerous. I've blacked out twice already. This time there was no girl on my chest.
"So you've awaken." A voice said.
"Taimu?" I asked looking around for my katana. I saw it next to me and grabbed it.
"So you remember." He said. Then a baby dragon appeared in front of me.
"You know you look cute in that form," I said.
"Well, I kinda half to go chibi in a building." He said.
"So where am I" I asked him
"Apparently, Squad 4 barracks. They are the healers."
"Oh. Ok." I said.
At that moment, the woman from the meeting walked in.
"Well it's nice to see you're awake. But I'm going to have to ask you to lower your reistu." She said.
"My what?" I asked her.
"Your spiritual pressure, its unsettling the others." She told me. "I see I'm going to have to put you in Kenpachi's room. Oh forgive me for not introducing myself. I'm Retsu Unohana, Captain of Squad 4, the healers."
"It's nice to meet you Captain." I said.
"Please call me Retsu. Come on, let's get you checked out." Retsu told me.
"Let's go Taimu." I said. Then I, Retsu and Taimu left the room.
"Do you remember your way to the 1st's Barracks?" she asked me.
"I can show him the way," Taimu said.
"Thank you. Now you need to go straight there. Captain Commander is waiting on you." Retsu said.
Ok, time to talk to the Commander. As I walked to the barracks, I thought about what having Taimu means.
"Come on slow poke." Taimu said. "You knew the risk. You mad the choice. Look, you didn't forget them."
"You're right. Besides, now I can protect them." I replied.
When we made it to the door Yamamoto said, "Come in."
Yesh. Can he let me knock first? When I walked in I saw that everyone was there. All the Captains I mean even Retsu. How did she make it there before me?
"Chronos, since you made your choice, you must learn about the Soul Society. For that, you will attend the school. Then I will place you in one of the 13 squads." Yamamoto said.
"Please call me Chro. You said that you was my teacher right? Well that means you know me. Thus you must address me by Chro. Or else I will not answer." I said.
I know that that was out of line, but I want to be called Chro.
"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Yamamoto yelled.
As he was speaking he unleashed some of his reistu and that put me on the floor under the pressure. This wasn't real, how could he be this powerful. Kenpachi has nothing on this. This time an apology is needed, and that what I gave.
"Apology accepted, Chro." Yamamoto said.
He did something that scared me, but why, I don't know. He opened his eyes and smiled.
"Now as I was saying, you will go to school, and then be placed in a Squad. Now the Captains will introduce themselves," he said.
"I am Soi Fon, Captain of Squad 2, the police squad." One of the women said.
"I am Kira Izuru, Captain of Squad 3." Kira said.
"I am Captain of Squad 4, Retsu Unohana." Retsu said.
"I'm Captain of Squad 5, Renji Abarai." The guy covered in tattoo said.
"Byakuya Kuchiki, head of one of the four noble houses and Captain of Squad 6." The serious looking guy said.
"I'm Captain of Squad 7, Sajin Komamura." The masked guy said. Then he took off his mask. He's a fox! AWESOME! "I'm also the only none human Shinigami." He said.
A little laughter came from Kyouraka before he introduced himself.
"As Captain of Squad 8, I'm Kyouraka Shunsui." He said
"Captain of Squad 10, Tourshiro Hitsugaya." A little boy said.
"Captain of Squad 11, Zaraki Kenpachi, the battle squad." Kenpachi said.
"Captain of the Research Division, Squad 12, I'm Mayuri Kurotsuchi." The clown said.
"I'm Captain of Squad 13, Juushiro Ukitake," said a sickly looking guy.
"So ummm, is the Captain of Squad 9 sick or something?" I asked everyone.
"There is no Captain for that Squad." Ukitake said.
"So is it okay if I aim for that spot?" I asked.
"You will have to do numerous of things before you can take that position." Yamamoto said.
"Fine by me," I stated. "So when do school starts?"
"In 30 minutes." Yamamoto said. "Kira, please escort Chro to school."
"Yes sir." Kira said.
As we were walking toward the school, Kira didn't say a word.
"Kira, what did Yamamoto do to me before we left." I asked him.
"It's a limiter. Until you learn to suppress your reistu, whenever you go to a public place, the limiter will activate and suppress it. Now if you are out on a plain by yourself then it will not activate." He told me.
So I need to learn to suppress my power, huh?
"Chro?" Kira called. "Please tell your Zanpakuto no to make an appearance anywhere where anyone who has not seen him can see him. Besides Tourshiro, you're the first person to have his Zanpakuto before school."
"Taimu, you heard that?" I asked.
"Yea, I got it." He answered.
After that the rest of the walk was quiet.
The classes were easy. And kidou is fun. I've mastered the ones they were on today, binding spells. Fun.
Six weeks later
"Chro, Yamamoto wants you." Kira said when he found me.
I didn't even have time to reply. He vanished using Shunpo, Flash step. I knew what it was and how to do it. But I prefer to take my time. Before I can step in front of the door, he tells me to come in.
"You called me sir." I said.
"Have a seat" he said. You have finished all the basic courses and some advance courses, a two year program in six weeks." He started. "Today I will put you in a squad. What squad would you like to be put in?"
"I would really like to be in Squad 4, sir." I replied.
Right after I said that, Retsu walked in. "I will be please to have you in my squad." She said.
"Thank you," I told her. "Commander, if I can, I would like to spend a week in every squad starting after two weeks for now, or until I master the healing abilities. Whichever comes first." I told Yamamoto.
"Why do you want to do that?" he asked me.
"Cause every squad is different, like a person. I want to be in all of them to understand them better.
"Very well then, I shall allow it." He said.
We spoke about some other things, like me unleashing Taimu.
"Unleash Taimu?" I asked him. "I don't fully understand."
"Every Zanpakuto has 3 stages. In the normal stage it appears like a normal katana. Shikai, the Zanpakuto takes a different appearance. That depends on type, personality both yours and the Zanpakuto's and also ability. So mine is different than yours. Bankai, the same rules apply." He said.
"You haven't tried to unleash your Zanpakuto?" he asked me.
"No, how do you do that?" I asked.
"You would normally say an incantation then the name." He said.
"I don't know the incantation." I told him. "Let me ask Taimu." "Ummm. You heard him didn't you?" I asked Taimu.
"Yea.