This is a story about the comic relief Hanataro Yamada and Retsu Unohana of the Fourth Company in a familial love story. Please be gentle and no flames!
Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach.
Scalpels and Manta Rays
"…"
The sun began to rise from over the Sogyoku, its bright shingles going over the Seireitei and hitting the roofs of all the companies…
"zzz."
The bright light bounced upon the the windows of the Fourth Division.
"…zzz. Uhn…"
The beams went through the curtains that were left slightly askew and touched the face of the sleeping boy, Hanataro Yamada.
"Huh…? Wha?" the boy slowly rose from his bed.
'What time is it?' He thought as he looked at the clock he had bought recently from the material world of humans…
'Oh no! 8:30?!' The kid jumped out of bed and quickly dressed into his shihakusho.
'I overslept!' He tied on his sash and placed on his medical bag, fully equipped with the medicinal needs he may use for to those in need of help.
'That's not good! Oh, Unohana Taicho'll be so mad!' He could feel her smile and cold atmosphere come toward him…Everyone knew Unohana had some sort of mysterious aura that could possibly intimidate the mighty Kenpachi Zaraki!
'Please be gentle…!' Hanataro dashed down the hallway, careful to make it to his destination without tripping on his own two feet.
Today was the day that he would do his best to assist his Taicho. No doubt that she would be very busy; Kenpachi Zaraki was "training" the new recruits of his company and it was obvious that there would be several injured and it was the job of the Healing Division to help the wounded and save the near-dead…which would be VERY high…
"Unohana Taicho! I'm here!" That was all he could say when he saw the ENTIRE 4th Company healing the unfortunate that met with the Eleventh Company's zanpaku-to…
'Oh God…' he felt a bit terrified, completely scared by the fact that one man had such bloodlust!
Isane noticed the child standing near the door. "Oh! Hanataro, please go to Unohana Taicho and give her this!" She was holding a large nutritional fortification pill. It was the size of a jawbreaker. What was Unohana doing???
"That's…BIG!" He couldn't believe that she was in possession of such a huge medical item!
"I'd give it to her," she said as she placed a kido style bandage onto a fainted 11th company member. "But I can't leave my current position! If I do, some may not survive! Please!" she begged.
"O-of course! I'll do it!" He took the pill out of Isane's palm and tried to find his Taicho amongst the crowd of injured and healers.
"Unohana Taicho?! Where are you???" He shouted out. He received an answer.
"Ah, Hanataro. Glad to see you're awake."
He followed her voice and came to a halt. He felt his shihakusho slip a bit from his neck; what a sight to see!
"Oh, is that "jawbreaker" for me?" She was smiling, removing her surgical gloves from the phalanges. Apparently, the gentle had been, and still was, healing Kenpachi Zaraki himself! He appeared asleep(?).
"Yes…But…what is going on??? I thought Zaraki Taicho would only try to whip the new members of his company into shape…but all these so early???"
His Taicho took the pill from him and popped it into her mouth; it appeared she had to chew it! "Gulp…I'll have to make these into pleasurable flavors…Anyway, I decided to let you sleep; you could've used it. I didn't want you to pass out in the middle of surgery." She smiled as she put on a new pair of latex… "I'll have to thank you and Isane for the pill. I've been working for at least 7 hours…"
Hanataro felt kind of happy that his Taicho cared about his well-being…until…"WHA??? S-seven?"
She nodded. "It seemed Zaraki-san got impatient and decided to train the recruits at midnight. However, they only lasted against him an hour at least. So, already excited and wanting more, he changed it from training to a tournament of his whole company. It wasn't until recently that his body gave out from exhaustion, cardiac arrest, and, of course, blood loss."
"I understand the exhaustion; no one can fight without getting tired for long…cardiac arrest-the body can only take so much punishment…but blood loss???"
She giggled as she stitched up an incision. "Every cut leaks a little blood. Every drop of blood counts, eventually, each drop forms a puddle. Many puddles together can form a lake…"
He understood completely what she meant; his mind could go on, but the murderous Taicho's body couldn't. Everything had a limit…
"So…what should I do???" the boy wanted to useful to his company.
"Well, I have to watch over Zaraki-san…Madarame-san is out cold…Ayasegawa-san is recovering surprisingly quickly…Could you check those outside..?"
"Hai, Taicho!" He carried his medical bag in his hand in case he needed to help those in need. He didn't see anyone outside though, that is, until he turned around.
"!!!" 'NANI???'
"Yuuuuuu…."
Hanataro was horrified by the sight: A huge manta ray of a green color lying down near the doorway.
'Is this…Minazuki?' The manta ray nodded, as if it read his thoughts.
"Um…how are the others?" he didn't know what would happen next. The sea creature suddenly regurgitated several Soul Reapers; covered in saliva and their own blood…they didn't seem to be in pain at all.
'Did it…eat them?!' he shook as he heard moans coming from the salivated masses.
"No it didn't," a familiar voice came from behind. "It healed them while they're inside its digestive track." It was Retsu Unohana. She walked past Hanataro and patted the creature's side. "That is Minazuki's purpose when it is Shikai mode…" she summoned it back into a blade. The manta ray turned into a visible green gas and poured into the red sheath. Hanataro was amazed.
"B…but what does it do in B-Bankai mode, Taicho?" he asked in a timid voice.
She flinched and turned to him, smiling her "happy" grin. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. What was that?" This was obviously something that Retsu did not want to be asked… "N…nothing."
"Hanataro, could you please use your zanpaku-to on them? I believe they still have some wounds."
"Okay! Fill up, Hisagomaru!"
"Now, if you excuse me. I have to make sure Zaraki-san has not woken up from the sedative."
"Fill up, Hisagomaru!"
"There was enough to put an elephant to sleep, I swear."
"Fill up, Hisagomaru!"
The boy kept striking until sunset.
With evening settling in, the day was finally over, the 11th Company was finished recovering from the "training" their Taicho had so eagerly given them…
"Well, I can announce that our job is done." Retsu Unohana preached as she sipped her tea.
3rd seat Yasochika collapsed on an operating table, "Whew! The Mass Fatality Morgue is closed!" while 8th seat Ogido replied back as he washed the scalpels. "What do you mean "Mass Fatality Morgue"??? Nobody died!"
"It was a figure of speech, Ogido…give me a break."
Isane rolled up the bloody bandages and tossed them into the trash. "At least they can fight another day! Unohana Taicho is proud of our efforts. Right, Taicho?"
"Hai. As your Taicho, I couldn't be more proud of my subordinates. Iemura, Ogido, Isane…Hanataro. You've made me feel happy to be the leader of this company." A pleasant smile addressed her lips.
"All right…" Hanataro moved his arms up and down tiredly. He was happy he could be of use.
Retsu suddenly giggled. "I believe some rest is in order for you." Hanataro nodded sleepily and fell onto the floor.
"Oh! Hanataro!" Isane walked toward him to realize the boy had fallen asleep. "He's exhausted…"
Retsu picked up the sleeping child. "I shall take him to his room. The rest of you turn in for the night; I want everyone to have a goodnight's sleep like Hanataro here."
"HAI TAICHO!" they all bowed and bid their Taicho goodbye.
"…you were amazing today, Hanataro…"
"zzz…" the boy didn't respond, he was sound asleep. She placed him into the covers of his bed.
"If you're wondering if you were useful, you were…just like Seinosuke Yamada." She smiled as she patted his head.
"zzz…" Hanataro was fast asleep; he couldn't hear a word she was saying. Retsu already knew that.
'Ah, Hanataro…' she bent down and kissed his forehead. 'You're like the son I never had. Please…'
She slid open the door and slowly closed it. '…continue to get stronger…I'd like you to be my strong successor if something were to happen to me…' She closed it all the way and walked to her barrack room. 'Goodnight.'
Hanataro just kept sleeping, dreaming of being the next Taicho of the 4th Company… "…Tai…cho."
The End
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