THE LION AND THE FOX

A collection of drabbles/stories revolving around

the curious friendship between

one Zaraki Kenpachi

and

one Ichimaru Gin

It wasn't hard to find the newest captain of the Gotei 13. It wasn't like he was trying to hide. You could feel his reitsu miles away, almost literally.

Zaraki Kenpachi's reitsu lead Ichimaru Gin to a stream in the small forest on the outskirts of the fifth division. There Kenpachi sat brooding, his arm slung over his unsheathed zanpakutou. When his fellow captain did not acknowledge his approach, Gin shrugged to himself and continued ambling over to where the man sat.

Ichimaru plopped himself down, unceremoniously and uninvited, beside the much larger Kenpachi.

"Ah, that's no way ta welcome a new captain. Last item of business an' then not even introduce ya to anybody. Ain't the way it's done." Gin's comments were rewarded with a derisive che and the shrug of a massive shoulder.

"Maybe not for those of you that went to that Academy of yours. If that's not the way it's done, that's fine by me. Never been much for tradition." They sat there in silence for awhile before Zaraki continued. "It went worse than I expected."

"Oh, what were ya expectin'?"

"I was expecting some one to complain about my credentials. I was expecting to get the chance to use my sword." Zaraki waggled the arm draped over the hilt, and gritted his teeth.

"Instead you were met with silence, ne?"

"I've always been met with silence . . . and stares. At least there were a few of you there that weren't staring. Like that guy with the strange glasses and the big guy beside him. I can't be sure about the big guy, though, you can't tell with that bucket over his head." Gin's shoulders were shaking while he chuckled quietly. Then he broke out into laughter. When Gin was laughing on the ground, Kenpachi began to suspect there was more to it than just humoring him and that annoyed him.

"What?" he growled. This caused Gin to prop himself up on his elbows and turn his smiling face to Zaraki.

"Sorry. The guy with the strange glasses, is Tousen Kaname, Captain of the Ninth Division. He wears those glasses because he's blind."

Kenpachi looked struck for a moment, making Gin reconsider his rather cavalier approach to the man. Then he watched as a grin began to form on Kenpachi's face. It started out disturbingly similar to his own default facial expression, but then it began to widen and expose the larger man's sharp, white teeth. It was one of the most feral smiles Gin had ever witnessed on a fellow shinigami.

"Then, I guess he couldn't have been staring at me, eh?" Zaraki threw his head back and laughed. Ichimaru remained propped up by his elbows, regarding the eleventh division captain. He had never before heard a laugh that reminded him so much of a lion's roar. The big man soon stopped laughing and returned his gaze.

"What did you come here for?"

Gin sat up and extended his right hand to Kenpachi.

"Ichmaru Gin, Captain of the Third Division. Pleased ta meet ya, Captain Zaraki."

Kenpachi looked surprised again but shook the proffered hand.

"Nice to meet you, Captain Ichmaru."

Author's Note: Okay, not really a drabble in the true sense, but it's a start. I've had this idea pestering me for weeks and I just had to get something written. So how did I do? I'm not sure I got them in character. I have a few ideas but I'm not sure exactly where to go with these. The idea is to progress from Kenpachi's arrival in Soul Society to the end of the Soul Society arc. Suggestions/requests are welcome.