Mask of Sin
Chapter One – Dead and Gone
Now Updated: 8/8/11
Tite Kubo owns Bleach
Another boringly peaceful day was coming to a close in Karakura Town as the sun began to dip below the horizon and its denizens scurried through the streets.
No one saw a senkaimon gate appear in the sky and a young shinigami jump out. His rust colored hair blew in the wind and his copper oxide green eyes hurriedly found a place to land: a telephone pole.
The twin zanpakuto on his back clinked on touchdown and he panted heavily to ease the burning in his lungs. He wiped away the sweat beading his forehead with a gloved hand.
The haggard shinigami looked in his late teens and clad in a torn short sleeve shihakusho and leather gloves. Crossed on the back of his harness was a pair of Greek xiphos swords, in black and gold sheaths.
He crouched down and ran his fingers through short sweat-matted hair. "What the fuck have you done Fuzen?" he said in a hushed voice even though he was alone.
"You lost it…and now you're finished." Fuzen's tone held as much finality in it as the statement itself.
A hand went to his right cheek of its own accord and fingers ghosted over the kanji for 'Sin'. The tattoo that held so many meanings for Fuzen: the meaning of his first name, the reason he was an outcast…and the horrid things he'd done just hours ago.
FLASHBACK~
It had started as a normal day in 11th Division. Fuzen had been lounging in the barrack's mess hall drinking sake like he usually did when bored as piss, and sadly the former had long since proven to do nothing for the later. If things kept up like this for much longer Fuzen was sure he would snap and start a brawl just for the hell of it.
'I'll give it another ten minutes.' he thought while taking another gulp from his jug…and about four minutes later.
"Hey Fuzen!" shouted a rather familiar booming voice. A quick 360 and said youth spotted his captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, standing at the doors with lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi clinging to the large man's shoulder (as per usual) smiling happily (also per usual).
"Things are looking up." Fuzen smiled. He stood and took a final gulp then readjusted the shoulder guard on the right shoulder of his sword harness before walking over with the hope they had something better to occupy the time.
When he got close he noticed another person with the captain but dismissed his presence for the moment. "4th Seat Fuzen Ginza, reporting." the young officer said formally to his captain.
"Hiya, Rusty-Chan!" chirped Yachiru in her usual childish manner. Fuzen had gotten used to the nickname - but he'd long given up on understanding how a little girl became Lieutenant.
"You called for me, boss?" Fuzen asked. "Yeah, it looks like the 10th Division has a mission and wants one of us to give 'em a hand. This guy will be leading the team." Zaraki thumbed over at the shinigami next to him with the black fauxhawk haircut and goatee.
The man introduced himself with a curt bow, "My name is Shokanno Kusugi."
Fuzen already liked the calming air about Kusugi. It helped when there was someone rational close at hand to keep him in check.
Shokanno cleared his throat before starting, "I've been tasked with putting together a small unit to investigate reports of hollow activity in South Rukongai." Fuzen was getting anxious now. "The reports included mentions of Gillian class menos so Captain Hitsugaya thought it best to enlist help from an 11th Division seated officer." Kusugi finished.
Kenpachi could tell by the ear to ear grin on his 4th Seat's face that he wasn't about to turn this down. With his own twisted ear to ear grin he asked,
"Well kid. You interested or not?"
Fuzen turned to his captain and practically shouted in excitement. "Fuck yeah! Anything to get outta here! This place is so goddamn boring I was planning on blowing up the mess hall for the hell of it in about five minutes."
The exhilarated 4th Seat cracked his knuckles and licked the front of his top teeth. "This is gonna be fun." he chimed in glee.
END FLASHBACK~
After that, all Fuzen Ginza could envision was the carnage and destruction that had unfolded and the life and warmth seeped out of him a little more with each image.
He stood atop the power pole and looked up at the sky. "So this is what it means to wake from the dream." 'Well I always did like this world better anyways, cause one thing's for sure…' the now former 4th Seat of 11th Division thought then jumped into the air.
'Now I can never go back to Soul Society.'
XXXXX
Back in Soul Society's 1st Division meeting hall the ten captains were all present. Captain-Commander Yamamoto tapped his cane on the floor twice, bringing the other captains to attention so he could speak.
"I call this captains meeting to order. Captain Hitsugaya, you may present your findings on the incident in South Rukongai."
The young captain stepped forward and began,
"As you all know, today I dispatched an investigation unit to South Rukongai to confirm reports of hollows and Gillian class menos grande. The team of eight included Shokanno Kusugi and six other men…as well as Fuzen Ginza of 11th Division." the young captain paused for a moment before continuing. "When they failed to report in I dispatched a second team to discover their whereabouts. What the second unit believes happened is that Kusugi's team located the hollows they'd been searching for and were attacked. Based on the extensive damage to the surrounding area we can assume that the sightings of menos were in fact true and the unit engaged them as well."
"I'm afraid that Kusugi and the six men with him were all killed." Hitsugaya said with downcast eyes.
"What about my 4th Seat?" Kenpachi asked a little demandingly, his glare trying to burn a hole through the child prodigy's haori.
Hitsugaya turned to look at his fellow captain and spoke in his casual tone. "We didn't find a body; however…" he said and walked over to his spot in formation before picking up a cloth wrapped bundle and walking back.
"…we found this amongst the debris at the scene." Hitsugaya pulled off the cloth, revealing a scorched and partially melted shoulder guard with the remnants of a leather strap still attached. Zaraki took the damaged item and turned it over in his hands a few times.
"Yeah, its Fuzen's alright." Kenpachi sighed, the hint of sorrow in his visible eye making Hitsugaya regret allowing the fourth seat to go with the team.
"Judging from the evidence you have presented Captain Hitsugaya, it must be presumed that 4th Seat Ginza was killed with the rest of the investigation unit. You will maintain surveillance in South Rukongai for the time being. This meeting is adjourned!" Yamamoto tapped his cane again twice to conclude the meeting.
XXXXX
As the Soul Society was in a bustle over what had happened a very much alive Fuzen Ginza was standing atop the highest point in Karakura Town he could find.
"By now someone must have found what's left of the others…and hopefully what they think is left of Me." he yawned loudly and stretched.
'So what do you do now Fuzen? If you ever go home again they'll fucking execute you…that's if they don't figure out you're alive and come after your scrawny ass.' he thought to himself and tiredly scratched the back of his neck.
'You've got no home, no allies, and no means of getting by. What do you do now?' Fuzen was starting to wonder if he had a future, and reaching the hard conclusion: he didn't.
Already less than pleased with the situation the Ex-4th Seat cursed to himself and looked up at the sky again then grasped his zanpakuto.
"Any ideas what you think I should do?" he asked his swords.
Silence.
"Hello? Are you even fucking listening to me?" he half shouted, getting pissed off that his only remaining companion was giving him the silent treatment.
When Fuzen still got no response he had half a mind to heave his weapons into space. "Fine! Fuck it! I'll think of something on my-!" Fuzen cut his rant short when he sensed approaching reiatsu and without time to think he quickly suppressed his own and settled on the insane by taking a deep breath and making a leap of faith.
Moments later two shinigami landed atop Fuzen's previous spot and looked around confused. "Strange…I could have sworn that I felt something here just a moment ago." one said while scratching his head. "I knew this was a runaround, yet I still followed you." the other one huffed. "Next time you get one of your funny feelings either keep it to yourself or leave me out of it!" As the first one glared at his comrade he barked out; "If you're gonna keep complaining about us doing our job then just go home damnit!"
Fuzen watched the two arguing shinigami fly off overhead from the tree he lay in and five minutes later painfully extricated himself from the branches to the pavement below; spitting out a mouthful of leaves and pulling twigs out of his hair.
"Best fucking day ever." he groused sarcastically and started walking at a tired, lazy pace.
'So here you are yet again Fuzen…aimless and trapped in self-imposed exile.' he thought sullenly.
"Please give me an upside to all this, please." he put his hands together and pleaded to the gods. When he didn't get an answer he hung his head and took to the air.
XXXXX
After about an hour of just walking/flying around in a stupor of deep contemplation Fuzen had just about reached the end of his rope as to what he should do with himself.
'How the hell can I expect to live in this world, where is the frigging point?' Fuzen shouted into his increasingly unstable mind. The things that happened plaguing his every step like a cruel punishment for his survival. He suddenly stopped in midair.
"If you can't give me someone to love or something to hope for…at least give me something to Do! Fuzen yelled to the whole of existence in pure despair.
KA-BOOOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A series of large explosions in the distance was music to Fuzen's ears. The billowing smoke and fire off to his right like a beacon for his weary being.
Fuzen smiled. "The universe provides." he said as some life returned to him. He turned and flew towards the chaos with new drive: if he can't go back to Soul Society, the least he can do is send himself off with the biggest fucking bang EVER!
Yes, I know I'm starting another Bleach fic before updating my first one but this will be good. Trust me.
I hope you'll all fall in love with Fuzen, he's going to be a very haunted but interesting character, especially in the next few chapters.
No worries for anyone who's reading Dark Green, I promise that I'll update as soon as I can. I already have a plot layout for Chapter Two.
Read and Review and my stories will keep coming!
Darkkiller9 is signing off.