A Boy and His Dog
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite, plot bunny to Love Psycho, story and shenanigans to me.
A/N: Dude, just saw this story on TVTrope's Bleach Fanfic Recs page, which is pretty cool, considering that's where I go to find good Bleach fanfiction. XD Thanks for the rec, Gemini24!
Anyways, chapter one moved along at a pretty zippy pace. I'll slow things down when we move into the meatier points of the plot because—oh yes—things are going to change now, thanks to one certain doggy. Muahaha.
Edited 8/12/2014 for typo. Thanks, Anonymous Phantom Writer!
-ooo-
WARNING: Scene breaks, spoilers, plot skipping, crack…yeah, you get the point. Also, lots of people talking about lots of things to set up the plot for more things… XP
When Ichigo woke up, he was lying on a strange bed in a strange room, and a man wearing a bucket hat was peering at him with a strange grin.
"Gahhh!" Ichigo sprang up, narrowly missing Urahara's nose.
"My, my! So energetic, Ichigo-kun!" the shopkeeper tsked. "It looks like your injuries are healing up nicely."
xxx
"So you see, that man sealed away the shinigami powers that Captain Komamura gave you," Urahara continued, "But you're capable of awakening your own…"
'I am already awake.'
Ichigo blinked when his zanpakuto spoke, but the shopkeeper kept talking. So he shrugged and replied. "Sounds good, when do we start?"
"After school, of course."
"Eh?"
"There's still one day before summer vacation, young man," and now Urahara was wagging a finger, "Go to class."
"What? No, they're going to execute—"
"Not overnight they're not. And you should do something about your family, before they worry."
"Oh." Ichigo's shoulders slumped. "Yeah."
-ooo-
After school, Ichigo walked out the gates of Karakura High with a stormy expression, wondering if Urahara was trying to play a sick joke. No one had noticed that Komamura was gone. Even Keigo, who liked to feed the captain his extra scraps at lunch, hadn't mentioned him even once. It was like…
…he'd never existed in the first place. If Ishida hadn't been constantly staring at the spot where Komamura usually sat, Ichigo would have started doubting his sanity.
"Kurosaki-kun." Orihime called after him.
He stiffened, but forced himself to sound natural as he turned back. "Yeah, Inoue?"
"Is Sergei-kun okay?"
Ichigo's mouth went dry as his heart skipped a beat. "What?"
Orihime was frowning, her hands twisted behind her back. "I was wondering, because he usually shows up for lunch…he's not sick, right?"
He swallowed. "You remember him?"
"Well, of course!" Orihime blinked, smiling brightly. "The two of you are always together! Do you know he can talk, too? Though…" Her smiled faded to a frown. "It's weird how no one mentioned him today. I thought Kojima-san would say something, since he's always saying Sergei-kun's smarter than Asano-san…" She trailed off.
"What's happened to him, Kurosaki-kun?"
"Inoue…"
xxx
Orihime pursed her lips softly as she watched Ichigo walk away.
'He's going to help Sergei—no, Komamura-kun, huh?' She debated for a minute before nodding as she came to a decision.
'All right, I'll help him too! And tell Sado-san!'
xxx
"Daddy, why do we have a dog dish in the kitchen?" Yuzu asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, Yuzu," Isshin replied, scratching his head. "Maybe one of the patients left it?"
"But it has our name on it!" the girl insisted, holding it up in her hand. "Look—Sergei Fangs Kurosaki!"
Karin wrinkled her nose. "That's weird. I'd name my dog Fangs, but not Sergei."
"Why not? I think Sergei is a wonderful name!"
"It's not tough enough," Karin said, crossing her arms. "Right, onii-san?"
Ichigo said nothing as he took the dish from Yuzu and stared at it.
"Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked. "Should we put it in the Lost and Found?"
Ichigo gave her lopsided grin and ruffled her hair. "Nah, I think I'll hold on to this for a while." And he turned to walk upstairs, ignoring Yuzu's worried look and Karin's frown, as Isshin rushed to reassure them that their brother was perfectly fine.
"Shut up, Goat-face! Anyone can tell he wasn't really smiling! He's miserable!"
"Well, Karin, you know how teenagers get when it's that time of month—"
WHUMP!
"Ack, my shin!"
"He's not a girl, Goat-face!"
"OH, MASAKI! MY DAUGHTER HAS A KICK THAT RIVALS THE STRENGTH OF A HUNDRED MEN—"
WHACK! THWACK! THUMP!
"D-daddy?! Karin, stop kicking him!"
-ooo-
Soul Society was aflame with the latest gossip.
"Did you hear the news? They're going to execute Captain Komamura!"
"I thought that was just a rumor!"
"Can you even kill a captain?"
"They're using the Captain Commander's bankai. I doubt anything could survive that."
Rukia's grip tightened on her stack of papers as she walked through the halls of the 13th Division. Captain Ukitake was feeling much better now, but she had gotten used to the little errands and tasks that the Third Seats had foisted on her during his sickness. And now hearing this…
'I should have refused his offer,' she thought to herself, recalling the kind captain's insistence at patrolling in her place. 'Whatever happened over there, he doesn't deserve to die! This is all my fault…'
"…and anyways, someone got a peek when they brought him in and apparently he's a dog!"
"What?"
"That's not true! They say he's a werewolf!"
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah, I overheard someone in the Twelfth say it! Man, Eleventh was trying for ages to unmask him. Now everyone knows what he is."
"Huh. Think they'll let us watch the execution?"
The temperature suddenly dropped a few degrees as Rukia's reiatsu rose. Her shoulders were shaking. Who cared what Captain Komamura looked like? These gossiping idiots had no idea what kind of person he was, and they were just treating his imminent death like some sort of entertainment?
"Rukia."
The cold scattered as a firm hand placed itself on her shoulders, and Rukia looked up to see her captain's features twisted in a frown.
"Are you feeling all right?"
"C-Captain Ukitake!" she sputtered, nearly dropping her papers. "I'm sorry, I—" She immediately shut her mouth, collected her thoughts, and bowed deeply. "Yes, captain, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
Rukia nodded furiously. "I was just getting ready to deliver our reports to the Fourth. I'll be on my way now, sir."
"Very well, I won't detain you."
As Rukia scurried off, Ukitake spoke one last time, almost soft enough to be unheard.
"He's an honorable man, Rukia. No matter what the others say."
Rukia paused only long enough to lower her chin and hug the stack of reports to her chest.
'I'm glad you think so too, captain.'
xxx
Komamura stood in the prison cell, looking out through a slit window at the view beyond. It wasn't very interesting—nothing but an endless field that surrounded the Sokyoku greeted his tired eyes. Still, there was certain serenity in staring at its symmetry and letting his thoughts drift where they willed: to his earliest days at the Academy, to his impending death, to the night he returned to Soul Society.
Komamura had arrived with Tousen and Shuuhei under cover of darkness—a fact for which he was grateful, for it hid him from most prying eyes. After getting out of his gigai (which was impounded as 'research material and evidence' by a gleeful Science Department), Komamura had found himself face to face with the Captain Commander himself. Standing before his ancient mentor without his usual helmet on, Komamura felt oddly exposed. Neither could he bring himself to speak around the angry disappointment he saw in Yamamoto's eyes. In the end, it was Tousen who answered all of Yamamoto's questions and confirmed Central 46's final decision before escorting Komamura to his cell.
"Sir?"
A voice shook Komamura out of his thoughts and he turned around to see a prison guard.
"You have a visitor," the guard spoke.
"Who is it?" Komamura asked.
In response, the guard motioned to his right, and Tetsuzaemon Iba appeared.
"Captain…" the Seventh Division lieutenant began, his voice strained. "Kuso! So it's really you…" He trailed off, glancing at the guard.
"Twenty minutes," the latter nodded curtly before walking out of sight.
In one swift motion, Komamura moved to the bars of his cell. "How did you get in, lieutenant?" Central 46 had forbidden him any visitors below captain rank.
"I got permission from Captain Tousen," Iba admitted.
"I see…" Komamura paused. "How is everything?"
"Yes, captain." Iba instantly straightened. "The new recruits we got last month are settling in well. Sixth Division's been assigned to oversee us and ensures that the paperwork goes through smoothly. As for the officers…well, we all miss you, captain."
"Tell them not to," Komamura chided gently. "They should be focusing on their duties instead."
"Even Goro's(2) lost two pounds, sir."
At the mention of his pet dog, Komamura's brows settled into a frown. "How are his eating habits?"
"We've tried feeding him everything, sir. But he always eats better when you're around."
"Scratch behind his ears when he finishes," Komamura muttered. "And then tickle him under his chin. He likes to be praised."
"Yes, sir!" Iba nodded furiously as he filed away the tip.
xxx
They spent their time catching up with the latest news and sharing information, until they got to the topic of Komamura's mission in the Living World.
"What's past is past," Komamura said firmly when Iba started cursing out the circumstances that left his captain in this mess. "I have no regrets."
"But captain—"
"More importantly—" Komamura raised his voice until Iba fell silent. "One day, Soul Society will see the arrival of that boy."
"The Kurosaki kid?" Iba asked.
"Yes. With his talent, it won't be long before he catches the attention of Seireitei." Komamura paused. "If he chooses to enter our ranks…I want you to look after him."
"Captain, you've only met him for a month," Iba replied skeptically. "Is he really that impressive?"
"He may be a bit rash at times, but I believe his heart is in the right place," Komamura said. "He would do well in the Seventh. Or any other division he chooses to join."
Noting the faint smile on Komamura's face, Iba just nodded. "I'll find him when the time comes, sir."
"Good. That puts me at ease." And then the smile faded as Komamura sharpened his gaze. "Lieutenant Iba."
Sensing something else was at hand, Iba unconsciously stood at attention.
"I must ask you to pass on my thanks to Captain Tousen. And also…"
"Yes, captain?"
"There is no need to call me by that title anymore."
"But I—"
"You will serve a new captain soon," Komamura went on. "When that time comes, I want you to help them uphold the honor and pride of our division. Do better than I did."
"I don't—but that—" Iba sputtered. "You've upheld the values of the Seventh better than anyone else, sir!"
"Lieutenant." Shaking his head, the werewolf shinigami turned away. "Return to your duties. You've wasted enough time today."
"Captain Komamura! Sir!" Iba stepped forward and gripped the prison bars. "Kuso! You can't mean that!"
"I wish you success in your future," Komamura replied, back still turned. "So please…"
"…don't come here again."
-ooo-
In the depths of Urahara's basement, Ichigo found himself in a bit of a bind. Literally.
"You have 72 hours. Good luck!" Urahara shouted cheerfully from the rim of the Shattered Shaft.
Muttering, the bruised and bound Ichigo lifted his head from the ground and strained his head to shoot a death glare at the shopkeeper. 'Crazy bastard,' he thought murderously, before slumping and closing his eyes.
'…Hey, you there?'
'I'm always here, Ichigo.'
'All right. Let's talk.'
The next thing Ichigo knew, there was a tugging sensation in the pit of his stomach and he was being pulled down and in—
xxx
"Welcome, Ichigo."
Ichigo blinked. He was sitting on a skyscraper in the middle of a city. Far above were blue skies dotted with clouds, and standing from a flagpole some ten feet away from him was a mysterious figure in a hooded black coat.(1)
"Zanpakuto spirit?" he guessed. The figure nodded, its features hidden beneath the hood. "Why're you standing sideways?"
"The better question would be, why aren't you falling off?"
"Huh?" Ichigo looked down, and realized that he was sitting on the side of a skyscraper—which was physically impossible, so—
"GYAAAAHHHHH!"
—he fell off.
xxx
Thirty feet down, Ichigo's hands wrapped around a flagpole that stopped his fall with a lurch.
'Okay, don't panic, I'm still alive…' He absolutely refused to look at the bottomless pit beneath him, focusing instead on the building he was hanging from.
'If I can work my way to the windows, I can try to get inside.' His hands started shuffling across the pole towards the building. Unfortunately, his zanpakuto spirit landed on the same flagpole when Ichigo was halfway across.
"Clever, but unacceptable, Ichigo."
"What the hell?" Ichigo strained to look up, only seeing a pair of black boots. 'I just avoided falling to my death and that's all you can say?!'
"A shinigami does not fear death,"the spirit replied serenely. "You are human, and thus still do."
"Are you gonna help or stand there talking all day?"
"Oh, I will help you."
Ichigo didn't like that tone. A moment later, his suspicions were confirmed as the figure trod on his fingers, causing them to loosen reflexively. Ichigo growled and tightened his grip.
"What are you doing?!"
The boots never stopped treading on his knuckles. "Helping."
A particular nasty stomp forced Ichigo's left hand to lose its hold. He dangled precariously by one arm for a few seconds before gripping the flagpole again.
"Are you crazy? You call this helping?"
"No," the spirit admitted. "I don't seem to be making much progress."
'As if I'd let you!' Ichigo fumed, and used one hand to grab the figure's ankle. There! Now, if he could pull himself up—
Shiiinnng!
—there was a flash of steel and a movement too fast for Ichigo to see as the spirit sliced through the flagpole with a sword—
'You have got to be kiddin—' Ichigo's thoughts broke off as the metal beam disconnected from the building, sending both of them careening down into infinity. "GYAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"Much better."
xxx
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"
"I am doing my utmost to help you."
"I DON'T SEE HOW THIS HELPS!" Ichigo snapped, even as he fumbled to grab a hanging ribbon from another box while falling backwards through an endless sky.
xxx
"Hey boss," Jinta said, "That punk hasn't moved for the past half hour. That normal?"
"Who knows?" Urahara hummed thoughtfully.
"Think he fainted or somethin'?" Jinta asked. "I could kick him awake."
"Let us wait," Tessai suggested, "He still has more than two days left, after all."
They observed as more links in the chain underwent Enroachment and an unconscious Ichigo didn't even twitch in response. Jinta rolled his eyes. "Geez, he's so boring! Let's go back to the shop. I'm starving!"
"A dinner break sounds wise," Tessai agreed. "Kurosaki-san won't be needing our help for some time yet."
"…very well," Urahara agreed reluctantly, following his shop employees back to the ladder leading upstairs. It was unusual that Ichigo was virtually unresponsive, but the boy's soul was still intact by all accounts. They could afford to let him be for now.
xxx
"Find my sword, Ichigo, or you will die."
Ichigo just snarled as he focused on sensing the red spirit ribbon, symbol of a shinigami—there! His eyes snapped open as his fingers reached out, brushing against a strip of red dangling from a box just within his reach—
xxx
"I brought the snacks," Ururu announced as she wheeled in a trolley of food to the living room after dinner.
"Ah, thank you, Ururu-chan!" Urahara smiled and patted her head, making the girl blush in pleasure.
"Finally!" Jinta crowed, grabbing a bag of popcorn. "Hey, did you get the DVDs, too?" In response, Ururu held up a series of discs.
"Cazh Soul, Seasons 1 through 3," Ururu said solemnly. "As well as behind-the-scenes footage from Don Kanonji's special episode in Karakura Town."
"Whoa! How'd you get that?"
"I stole it off the camera crew after Kurosaki-san defeated the Hollow."
"Play it first!"
xxx
BOOM!
"Ahehe, the explosions look more impressive on video," Urahara remarked, watching the side of the hospital collapse in a cloud of dust.
"Is Captain Komamura spitting a kido spell from his mouth?" Tessai squinted, one hand on his glasses. "And only using a shortened incantation. Very impressive, indeed."
Far, far below them, Ichigo's reiatsu spiked at the same time another explosion rocked the TV screen, showing the hospital collapsing entirely.
"Oh! Looks like the Hollow escaped off-screen!"
"Is that Kurosaki's arm sticking out from the rubble? That orange patch looks like his hair…"
"Who cares? Pass the popcorn already!"
xxx
The boxes were gone. The air was still. And a breathless Ichigo, dressed in shinigami robes, stood in midair with sword in hand and a murderous expression on his face. Not more than fifteen away, perched at the tip of a flagpole jutting out from a sideways skyscraper, was his zanpakuto spirit.
"Congratulations, Ichigo,"the spirit said with a mock bow.
"What the heck did you do?" Ichigo growled, aiming his weapon at the hooded figure.
"Nothing. It was all you."
"What, like that crap with the falling boxes and collapsing buildings—"
"I may hold some fault for that,"the spirit admitted. "The Inner World is a highly malleable environment. What you experienced was a worst case scenario—what would happen to your psyche if your mind shattered, or your soul was destroyed."
"Like I said before," Ichigo scowled. "What the heck? Were you trying to kill me?"
"Shinigami are beings who surpass human limits,"the spirit replied. "Certain motivation was required to push you past yours."
"So, let me get this straight. You tricked me into thinking I was going to die, just so I could find a way to cheat death and become a shinigami."
"Quite right. It was the best option."The spirit frowned. "If we hadn't established contact, Enroachment would have forced you to undergo Hollowfication. Even if you survived, there's no telling what damage it could have done."
"What's the worst that could have happened?" Ichigo asked seriously.
"I'm uncertain. You could have died. Or turned into a Hollow. Any number of things, none of them good."
Silence. Then Ichigo cursed under his breath.
"Okay, that's it. Urahara is dead."
"I believe he's been dead for quite a while."
"Then we'll kick his sorry arse back to Soul Society," Ichigo smirked. "What's your name, anyways?"
"…I'll tell you after you land a cut on me."
Ichigo sighed. "Does everything need to be a challenge?"
"You need the practice," the spirit retorted, materializing a small sword in his hands. Ichigo glanced at it, before looking at his own blade—a monstrous Khyber knife that dwarfed his opponent's—and quirked a brow. The spirit ignored him, making a few experimental swings before blurring out of sight. The next moment a heel connected with Ichigo's jaw and sent him flying through the air. Flailing wildly, Ichigo managed to stop just before he crashed into a building, shooting a glare at his hooded opponent.
"Don't get distracted,"the spirit chided, standing in midair a few feet away. "I'm stronger than I look, you know."
"Che," Ichigo smeared a hand across his mouth, the rusty tang of blood on his tongue, and grinned in a way that was all teeth. "Bring it."
xxx
Hours later, Tessai walked in on a thoughtful Urahara sitting alone in the living room, surrounded by empty bowls and popcorn crumbs.
"I've put the children to bed," Tessai said. "The shop's locked up for the night as well."
"Good," Urahara replied from the sofa. His fingers tapped restlessly against his cane. "We should…check on our guest."
Tessai raised his eyebrows. "You felt something."
"The spike in reiatsu during the broadcast? Yes." Urahara's eyes were focused on a faraway corner of the room.
"The timing's far too early," Tessai frowned. "Perhaps it was a temporary fluctuation…"
"It wasn't." Urahara said. "Concentrate and you'll find that his levels are holding steady. I can sense him even from here."
Tessai paused, before sucking in a breath. "Incredible. The boy's reserves…" Then he frowned. "But the reiatsu spike happened hours ago. What's he been doing since then?"
Urahara rose to his feet. "Why don't we find out?"
-ooo-
A loud shout rang through the streets of Seireitei.
"YO, RENJI!"
The redhead bristled at the voice before hollering back. "That's 'Lieutenant Abarai'to you!"
"Relax, man," Ikkaku grinned as he clapped a hand on Renji's shoulders. "We've checked already—no shinigami within hearing distance, and none from the Sixth. You're clear."
Renji scowled, but lowered his shoulders with a relieved sigh.
"Geez, when d'you become such a wuss?" Ikkaku snorted. "You had a lot more guts back with us in the Eleventh."
"You don't understand," Renji said, paling. "Captain Kuchiki's a stickler for rules. He'd kill me if I so much as step out of line and accidentally disgrace the Sixth."
Ikkaku snorted. "That girly-haired captain—"
"Don't be so uncouth, Ikkaku," Yumichika chided. "Obviously, Renji wants to make a good impression. Captain Kuchiki is her brother, after all."
"Doesn't give him the excuse to act like a spineless sissy," Ikkaku retorted, punching Renji in the shoulder. "Anyways, why're you always runnin' off to Seventh's barracks these days? Did'ya forget Rukia's in the Thirteenth? Or is there someone else you like that we don't know about?"
"No, you idiot!" Renji flushed despite himself. "It's 'cause our division's responsible for the Seventh while Captain Komamura's in prison!"
"I don't get that," Ikkaku frowned. "Wasn't Iba doing good enough as lieutenant?"
"That was before Central 46 passed Captain Komamura's execution orders," Renji said. "Head Captain Yamamoto wanted someone to take charge before we find a replacement. It was decided at a captain's meeting last week. Didn't you guys hear?"
Ikkaku shrugged as Yumichika explained, "Yachiru and the captain got bored afterwards and went to pick fights in Rukongai. We haven't seen them since."
"Figures," Renji scratched his head.
"Why's Sixth playing babysitter?" Ikkaku asked.
"Well, First, Second, and Fourth already have their own responsibilities," Renji said, ticking them off his fingers. "Thirteenth's still recovering from an illness, Eleventh's running off all the time, Tenth's is too young and inexperienced. Third is just…creepy, and Twelfth might use 'em all for science experiments." He suppressed a shudder. Captain Kurotsuchi had been practically giddy with the news of Komamura's true identity.
"Eighth's still got an older captain," Ikkaku observed.
"He's drunk half the time and always skipping paperwork," Renji muttered. "And Ninth would be awkward, since he's best friends with Seventh. Fifth was the favorite, actually, but he suggested Sixth 'cause of Captain Kuchiki's noble ties, or something."
"Makes sense," Yumichika nodded. "Iba's mother was lieutenant of the Seventh and from one of the minor noble clans."
"So what, you're some glorified messenger boy now?" Ikkaku asked, glancing at the stack of reports in Renji's arms. "Dang. Bein' promoted really made a pansy outta ya."
"Shut up!"
"Lieutenant Abarai."
Renji froze, before turning around to meet the impressive figure of the Sixth Division captain. Behind him, two reiatsu signatures suddenly vanished as the Eleventh Division officers flash-stepped out of sight.
"C-captain Kuchiki! Sir!" Renji stood at attention, even as his mind seethed. 'Ikkaku and Yumichika, you traitors!'
"If you are done socializing, come to my office," Byakuya said coldly. "Those reports in your hands were supposed to arrive half an hour ago."
"Yes, captain!" Renji saluted, even as he inwardly groaned. Since the Sixth's takeover of the Seventh, their paperwork had doubled. Byakuya had insisted reviewing the reports of both divisions before the deadline next week, which meant they were probably going to pull an all-nighter. Again. 'Dang it, and I was gonna find Rukia after work today!'
xxx
Chojiro Sasakibe paused before the door to the Captain Commander's office, wondering if he should go in. Restlessness had pervaded Yamamoto's usual silences after Captain Komamura's incarceration. Sasakibe could understand—Komamura was one of the younger captains, but his loyalty to the commander and the Gotei 13 was absolute. To be forced to lose such an officer a mere century after his promotion, by the whims of ancient laws approved by Yamamoto himself…
"Sasakibe," A voice from inside brought the lieutenant back to attention. "Stop loitering."
'Of course, he would have sensed my reiatsu…'
"If you're bringing tea, you should leave it before it gets cold."
"Yes, Eijisai-dono." Sasakibe answered, sliding open the wooden doors and entering.
He was greeted by the sight of the captain dressed in full haori, standing in the center of a traditional Japanese tearoom. The table and seat cushions, Sasakibe noted, were in their usual places, as were the ornamental scrolls and vases on the wall shelves. But the screen doors that looked out to the garden—which was rarely shut in summer, due to the heat—were closed today, and an oppressive weight hung over the entire room. Sasakibe carefully set down the tea things before moving towards them.
"Shall I open the view to the garden, Ejisai-dono?"
"Let it be." Yamamoto's reply was curt, his eyes fixed on a distant point near the ceiling.
Sasakibe's hands, which were reaching for the doorframe, lowered themselves to his sides again. "As you wish, Ejisai-dono. What about something to eat?" It was nearly lunchtime, but Sasakibe knew that Yamamoto hadn't touched his dinner last night, much less breakfast this morning.
"No need," Yamamoto said.
Sasakibe frowned. "With all due respect, captain—"
"A few meals won't be the end of me," Yamamoto replied gruffly.
"No, captain, but—"
"Leave me." A hand reached down and grabbed a cup. "I will drink your tea."
"…yes, Ejisai-dono," Sasakibe bowed and reluctantly left the room.
xxx
Once he left the Captain Commander, Sasakibe went to the gardens surrounding the First Division offices, where he heaved a long sigh.
"You're wearing quite the long face for a day like this."
Startled, Sasakibe turned towards the source of the voice, only to see a familiar figure lounging casually beneath a tree.
"Captain Kyoraku?"
"Afternoon, lieutenant," Kyoraku tipped his hat in greeting, a lazy smile on his lips.
"Are you here to see the Captain Commander?"
"No, no! Rather…" Kyoraku cheerfully shook his head as he pulled out an expensive looking bottle of wine from the folds of his cape. "Care to join me for some port, Lieutenant Sasakibe?"
xxx
"Tell me, lieutenant, what do you know about fine wines?" Kyoraku asked as he lazily swirled the liquid in his cup.
"A fair amount," Sasakibe admitted, sipping from his own glass. "Though I prefer tea, I did my share of wine tasting when I visited England."
"Those Westerners have a strange love affair with grapes," Kyoraku commented, pursing his lips at the taste of his drink. "Eh. Nothing but sugar and sparkles. I'd take a bottle of sake any day!"
"But this is very good port, sir," Sasakibe observed, glancing the bottle. "Vintage brewed from the 19th century! It's rare that you can find bottles of these in the Living World nowadays, much less Soul Society."
"Is that so? I had one of my officers pick up a few of these from a mission recently."
"Incredible!" Sasakibe muttered in admiration. "I thank you for giving me the chance to share in your spoils."
"But of course. Drink up, drink up! What worth there be in wine/O crimson liquid divine/If not shared between men/As brothers or—stop, I need a pen!" Kyoraku thrust his cup into Sasakibe's hands and started digging furiously through his pockets. "I should put this down in case I write another novel!"
"I have one," Sasakibe offered, taking out a fountain pen.
"My thanks, lieutenant!" Kyoraku's eyes brightened as he accepted it. "I shall dedicate my next book to you!"
"T-truly speaking, there's no need for that…" Sasakibe faltered. 'Considering that your last novel was a disaster…'
xxx
After recording his genius and returning the pen, Kyoraku refilled his cup of wine and tapped it against Sasakibe's, who raised his eyebrows in question.
Clink!
"A toast to a beautiful day, lieutenant." Kyoraku said, raising his glass so it caught the sunlight before taking a hearty swill.
"I suppose it is one. If only Ejisai-dono could enjoy it too…" Sasakibe muttered, slowly sipping his drink and thus missing how Kyoraku's eyes suddenly sharpened their gaze.
"How is Yama-jii?" Kyoraku asked offhandedly.
Sasakibe shook his head. "Not so well. Captain Komamura's sentence troubles him, I know, but Eijisai-dono will not acknowledge the fact."
"It must be hard for him when Komamura's such a good officer," Kyoraku nodded sympathetically.
"Yes, Captain Komamura has never disappointed the Captain Commander," Sasakibe agreed, still sipping.
"He's always been one of Yama-jii's favorites, after you and Ukitake, of course."
"I'm sure Ejisai-dono treats all his protégés equally," Sasakibe said diplomatically. "He has always been a fair teacher."
"But strict," Kyoraku cut in. "Remember the time Ukitake and I tried to cut off his beard in his sleep?"
"I remember," Sasakibe chuckled. "You were strung up by your toes in a tree for three days!"
"And Ukitake just got off with a reprimand and extra training," Kyoraku said, shaking his head mournfully. "I told you he plays favorites."
"I'm sure Ejisai-dono knows what's best," Sasakibe said, shaking his head. "He's had more experience than any of us, after all."
'I wonder about that…' Kyoraku thought to himself, and opened his mouth to speak when—
"CAPTAIN! There you are!"
Both men looked up as Nanao Ise marched into view, eyes flashing behind her spectacles.
"Ah, Nanao, my sweet!" Kyoraku instantly brightened. "Care to join us for a pic—"
THWACK!
Sasakibe winced as the heavy book in the female lieutenant's hands made contact with Kyoraku's unprotected face, knocking his hat clean off. Impressively enough, the captain still held a firm grip on his wineglass, keeping it from spilling onto the grass.
"Two hours. TWO ENTIRE HOURS." Nanao snarled in a low voice. "That's how long I've been trying to track you down!"
"My dear Nanao, I never knew you cared!" Kyoraku gushed, even as a trail of crimson started dripping from his nose. Alarmed, Sasakibe quickly took out his handkerchief and gave it to the captain, who dabbed at the blood with a goofy grin.
"You have papers to sign! We need to get back to the Eighth this instant!" Nanao paused for breath, glancing at Sasakibe in the process. "My apologies for my captain, Lieutenant Sasakibe. I didn't think he had the gall to hide in the Frist Division of all places—"
"Do have a glass a wine, Nanao-chan!" Kyoraku offered his half-drained cup, to no avail.
"—and drinking while on duty, I don't know what you're thinking these days—" So speaking, Nanao half-dragged, half-led a giggling Kyoraku away by the collar, leaving a speechless Sasakibe with the bottle of port.
"Nanao, my sweet! I'm so happy to have you as my lieutenant!" Kyoraku cried out in a singsong voice. "You're always catching my mistakes!"
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, captain."
"I'm telling the truth!"
'Lieutenant Nanao keeps Captain Kyoraku admirably in line,' Sasakibe mused as he shook his head. 'Ah, but isn't that the responsibility of a lieutenant? To tell his captain when he makes mistakes?'
Slowly but surely, a small frown crept upon his features. 'Then what about my duty as Ejisai-dono's right hand man?'
xxx
Ikkaku and Yumichika slowed down to a casual stroll by the time they were within sights of the 11th Division barracks.
"You think Renji will be all right?" Yumichika said.
"Eh, pansy's got a spine," Iba waved dismissively. "He'll be fine." His glance moved towards the division gates, and his brows furrowed at the sight of someone familiar. "What the…"
"Iba? The heck you're doing here?" Ikkaku snorted. Behind him, Yumichika sighed despairingly at his friend's complete lack of social graces as the Seventh Division lieutenant looked up expectantly.
"Ikkaku…" Iba paused. Then, to the pair's surprise, he fell to his knees before the shaven shinigami. "PLEASE TEACH ME BANKAI!"
"…the freak, dude." Ikkaku looked around frantically. "S-shut up! Do you want everyone to hear?"
Three minutes later, when the trio had safely flash-stepped into an abandoned alleyway, Ikkaku stopped to give Iba an once-over. Without his sunglasses, he could see dark circles under Iba's eyes and deep-set lines on a forehead framing a haggard face. The way he stood, listless and slumped over, looked like someone had just punched him in the gut.
"What's wrong with you?" Ikkaku finally spat out. "You look like Yachiru took ya on one of her 'playdates' in Rukongai! Ain't Renji's division helpin' ya out with work?"
"Captain Komamura's getting executed," Iba said dully.
"Well, yeah…" Ikkaku said. "We've heard about that."
"He wants me to forget about him," Iba said, heaving a long sigh.
"You've talked to him?" Yumichika piped up.
"Saw him earlier today," Iba said, waving a hand. "But that ain't important. Thing is, I can't be lieutenant under another captain."
"Well, why the heck not?" Ikkaku demanded. When Iba stayed mute, he just snorted and looked to his partner for help. Yumichika took the hint and artfully tucked a piece of hair behind an ear.
"Iba." Yumichika spoke up. "As much as I hate to say it, you've worked hard to get to lieutenant, even if it's in some division outside the Eleventh. All those weeks staying up practicing those kido spells, and extra training besides—no matter what others think, we know you've earned your position, and we know you can beat anyone in the Seventh who'll try to take it from you. If you doubt your skills—"
"Where's your Eleventh pride, ex-Fourth seat?" Ikkaku demanded. "You gonna give up now that your captain's leavin'?"
"It's not that." Iba cut in.
"Then what the hell's up?" Ikkaku burst out. "Why're you actin' all mopey? It's pathetic!"
"Tell me, Ikkaku," Iba suddenly grabbed his friend by the shoulders. "What do you think of Captain Komamura?"
"What do I think?" Ikkaku shrugged and shook Iba off. "Who the heck cares what I think?"
"You're right, who cares?" Iba muttered, even as Ikkaku bristled at his reply.
"Hey, wait a sec—"
"But I know what I think," Iba continued fiercely. "No matter who the Captain Commander chooses to replace him, I can't see myself as his lieutenant."
"That's a bit—"
"His honor and his ideals—the pride of the Seventh—how can I just trust them to a stranger after all these years?"
"Yeah, but—"
Iba ignored them both as he ranted on. "Hell! I ain't leaving our division to anyone else. I wanna follow the vision of our captain—and if that means getting bankai and becoming captain myself, I'LL DO IT!"
"That's—"
"IKKAKU!" There was a wild glint in Iba's eyes as he turned towards his friend. "I KNOW YOU HAVE BANKAI! SO PLEASE—"
PUNCH!
Klunk.
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP ABOUT THAT—"
"Ikkaku." Yumichika put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Stop it."
"Dangit, Yumichika!" Ikkaku turned around. "You know I want to keep it a secret!"
"Forget that. I think you cracked his skull."
The pair of them looked down, where Iba laid sprawled in pool of blood after Ikkaku punched him in the nose.
"…"
"Fourth Division?"
"Yeah, let's take him."
-ooo-
Blue skies and white clouds greeted Urahara and Tessai as they descended to the underground training area. Their footsteps crunched against the dirt as they made their way to the Shattered Shaft. Standing by the edge, Urahara peered into the darkness below. Moments later, he narrowed his eyes and shared a look with Tessai.
It was empty.
"He must be nearby," Tessai murmured. "I can sense his reiatsu."
Urahara nodded. "The question is, where—"
SLASH!
The pair leaped in opposite directions as a sword struck the ground between them in a flurry of pebbles and dirt. Landing at a safe distance, Urahara raised his cane defensively against the pulsing, burning source of reiatsu hidden in the dust cloud.
"Quite an entrance, Ichigo-kun," the shopkeeper said mildly.
"You're pretty quick on your feet," Ichigo remarked, striding out in shinigami robes, a giant sword resting on his shoulder.
"Why thank you," Urahara smiled. "You're rather quick yourself. I wasn't expecting you to awaken your powers for—"
SHIINNNNG!
The shopkeeper's eyebrows rose a few centimeters as he blocked Ichigo's slash with his own sword. "Now, now, Ichigo-kun. It's not polite to interrupt."
"Shut up," Ichigo hissed. "I'm paying you back for dumping me in a stupid pit."
"It was Tessai who did the actual dumping, if you remember," Urahara replied, still smiling. A forceful push sent Ichigo off-balance while Urahara leapt back to put some distance between them. 'Good, he's got a steady, strong spiritual pressure—now I wonder how long he can keep it up?'
"Kisuke!" Tessai joined his side. "Is everything all right?"
"Things are perfectly fine," Urahara said, even as Ichigo shot him a glare. "We're two days ahead of schedule, thanks to Ichigo-kun's efforts. I assume you'd like to continue your training now?"
"If it means I can beat you up, then yeah." The redhead scowled.
"My, my, it sounds like someone has a grudge," Urahara's smile widened. "Very well. Why don't we start simple?" He tapped the handle of his cane to the side of his head. "Use your sword to knock this hat off my head. And if you can 'beat me up' in the process…well, I'll give you bonus points."
"I'm on it," Ichigo said as he put on a burst of speed and charged.
xxx
SMASH!
Cursing furiously, Ichigo struggled to dislodge his sword from the side of a skyscraper as his zanpakuto spirit chuckled humorlessly behind him.
"Your sword is not an axe, Ichigo," the spirit chided. "So I suggest you stop trying to chop everything to pieces."
"Easy for you to say," Ichigo grumbled, still tugging. He was bleeding all over from small cuts and bruises—some from the fallout of his own attacks, most from his spirit's smaller but speedier blade.
"In any case, I'm tired of waiting," the spirit replied, raising his sword. "Time's up."
"Shi—" Ichigo barely had time to release his sword and dodge as his zanpakuto spirit slashed the spot where he'd been standing moments before. Fortunately, the impact loosened the rubble trapping Ichigo's sword and he dove for it, grabbing the handle before it fell.
"Power is meaningless if you can't use it properly," the spirit said. "You're too slow, Ichigo."
Ichigo blinked as the spirit flashed out of sight again, straining his senses to find him—
—only to widen his eyes and fumble a block against the swipe at his throat.
Clang!
Metal struck metal, and Ichigo bit back a grunt as the force from the blades caused his arms to shudder. The spirit used their proximity to knock him back with a well-placed kick to the stomach. This time, Ichigo wasn't fast enough to stop himself from crashing into the side of a building. Cursing under his breath, the boy struggled to pull himself out of the rubble and leveled a glare at the spirit, who was watching him from a few feet away.
"How long are you gonna keep kicking me for, you sadist?"
"As long as you keep letting me." A mocking grin greeted him. "Better learn to catch up, Ichigo."
"Isn't this my Inner World?" Ichigo asked, "How am I supposed to get faster when I'm not even using my body?"
"Since when did shinigami have bodies?" the spirit replied, quirking an amused brow. "Intent is as good as action, unconscious or conscious. Your brain needs to learn how to react first; your shinigami form will catch up afterwards."
"You're just messing with me."
"No, it's called mind over matter." And the spirit raised its sword for another strike. "Now, prepare yourself."
Shwinnng!
"Not again you bas—"
SLAAAASHH!
xxx
'He's doing a good job keeping up,' Urahara noted as he leaped from place to place, Ichigo at his heels. There was a look in the boy's eyes that said he was pushing himself to go faster by sheer will, in addition to the boost from flash-stepping.
"Hey, Geta-boshi(3)! When are you going to stop running away?" Ichigo shouted.
"Getting tired already, Ichigo-kun?" Urahara teased. "That sword of yours must be pretty heavy to carry around."
"Aren't you just scared of facing me properly in a fight?" Ichigo retorted. The next second, he sucked in a breath as Urahara suddenly appeared before him, cane poised to smack his head. Cursing, Ichigo leaned back and swerved to the side, but not before Urahara caught his collar and tossed him in the air. A falling Ichigo extended a palm to push off the ground and neatly back flipped to his feet, only to get blindsided by Urahara's cane in the ribs, sending him tumbling to the side.
"Tsk, tsk," Urahara shook his head. "Kids these days are so impatient."
In response, Ichigo got to his feet, readied his sword, and rushed towards Urahara—
—who neatly sidestepped and reached for Ichigo's left arm, only to catch air as the teen ducked and kicked back with the heel of his right foot—
—which Urahara blocked with his cane, just as Ichigo swiped upwards with his sword, forcing Urahara to release him as he jumped back to avoid the attack—
—recovering, Ichigo rolled forward before leaping into the air, sword raised to strike him—
'Such elementary tactics,' Urahara sighed, and raised his cane above his head to block—
—until instinct had him suddenly swiping to the right, just in time to thwart Ichigo's surprise strike there instead.
'But faster than I expected,' Urahara noted. 'Well now, this might be amusing…'
xxx
FWOOSH!
Ichigo cursed and beat his sleeve furiously until the flames died out. 'When did he start using kido spells?'
Growling, he readied himself for another charge when—
FWOOSHFWOOSHFWOOSH!
Fireballs started peppering him from all sides. Ichigo dodged, coughing as smoke got into his eyes.
"DANGIT, GETA-BOSHI! STOP TRYING TO BARBEQUE ME!"
CRACKLECRACKLEZZZAAAAPPPP!
Ichigo's hair stood up in erratic spikes from the errant electricity flying through the air. "I thought I was supposed to get your stupid hat, not be target practice!"
"Don't be a spoilsport, Ichigo-kun!" Urahara called back. "Isn't this more fun?"
"YOU CRAZY—"
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOOOOOOOOOOM!
xxx
Ichigo smirked as he suddenly appeared before the spirit, crossing swords. "Gotcha."
"Took you long enough to catch up," the spirit muttered, before jumping back a few buildings to wave at the air. Ichigo was about to follow when hundreds of very familiar boxes appeared in the skies to hang above them. "Now we can finally move on."
"Another scavenger hunt?" Ichigo snorted. "I already know shinigami have red spirit ribbons."
"Did you forget what they were attached to?" the spirit said, and snapped his fingers.
Instantly, the bottom of the boxes opened—but instead of trailing ribbons, there descended hundreds of very sharp swords. Their edges glinted in the light as they hung in the air expectantly.
"What're you playing at?" Ichigo frowned.
"You're fast enough to dodge one opponent," the spirit said. "So what about five hundred?"
Brown eyes swiveled to meet blue ones. "You can't be serious."
The spirit just smiled grimly as he pointed the tip of his weapon at Ichigo, the other swords following his lead.
"Look sharp, Ichigo."
And five hundred blades shot simultaneously towards one strawberry-blonde teen.
xxx
'How interesting, he's dodging all my attacks,' Urahara hummed merrily as he cast kido spells left and right, making Ichigo jump and dance like a sugar-high Kon on steroids. 'Looks like he's had practice from somewhere.' His other hand fiddled restlessly with Benihime, who was itching for a fight.
"I know, my dear, you'll have your turn soon," Urahara murmured. "Just let me get in one last laugh." Slowly but subtly, he directed the flow of his spells to move Ichigo around like a video game character.
'A little more to the left…then a bit towards the back…hmm, if I aim for his arms and legs, it'll get him there faster…'
He watched with amusement as an unknowing Ichigo inched closer and closer to the Shattered Shaft until—there!—sharp eyes caught the sight of a heel wobbling as it stepped over the edge.
"Shi—" Ichigo cursed, just as Urahara gleefully aimed for his ankle with a well-timed Hado #4: Byakurai(4). "—gyyaAAAHHH!"
The teen flailed wildly as he fell backwards—only to be rescued by Urahara, who grabbed his wrist and hauled him up (and then ducked the incoming punch at his face).
"I'm glad to see you're giving in to your training so wholeheartedly, Ichigo." Urahara said.
"Will you stop toying with me?" Ichigo growled, panting.
"Now, now, it's only fair I get an assessment of your skills before we fight man-to-man," Urahara said with a straight face. "But I'm more than satisfied now, so let's start." He raised his walking stick and Ichigo stiffened, as the atmosphere suddenly grew oppressive. The shopkeeper shot him an amused grin before tugging on one end of the cane to reveal a long, sharp blade hidden within the casing. Instinctively, Ichigo took a step back—remembered that he was still next to a gaping hole—and jumped instead to the other side, putting the hole as a buffer between them.
"Don't be so nervous," Urahara said. "It's just a sword."
Ichigo twitched. "Yeah, well…I happen to have a thing against swords."
"Really now?" Urahara quirked a brow. 'I'd like to hear the story behind that someday.' "That's a shame. Benihime was so looking forward to meeting you."
"Benny who?" Ichigo asked, at the same time Urahara released his shikai with a terrific energy blast.
-ooo-
Within Soul Society, there were plenty of jobs that nobody liked to do but someone had to. Case in point: cleaning the sewers, which had somehow fallen onto the members of the Fourth Division over the last few hundred years. But, as Hanataro Yamada saw it, things weren't all bad. You only had to do it once every other month because the Fourth cleaned in teams, and once you got the hang of things the job went pretty quickly. In fact, if he had to admit it, a part of Hanataro actually enjoyed the process a teeny bit since nobody (read: those terribly violent 11th division officers that liked snatching medics off the streets to treat their injuries) would go down there without a good reason. Working in the sewers was kind of like a paid vacation, just…darker and without all the beaches.
Despite his lot in life, Hanataro tried to be an optimistic kind of guy.
'All right, I've done all the inspections and cleaned most of the corners,' Hanataro thought as he scanned his report. 'There's still some areas underneath the high-number divisions but I can get to them next week.' He neatly arranged the files and started walking just as a familiar reiatsu signature reached his senses. Rounding a corner, Hanataro automatically reached out and took half a stack of papers from a petite shinigami.
"Oh!"
"More reports, Miss Rukia?" Hanataro smiled pleasantly as the 13th Division officer blinked and registered his appearance.
"Hanataro-san! How did you find me again?"
"You've been coming to the Fourth every other day for a month," Hanataro explained. "I've learned to recognize your reiatsu signature."
"I see…that's pretty impressive!" Rukia said in honest admiration. "How can you tell with so many people around?"
"It's a necessity in my line of work," Hanataro said simply as they started to walk down the halls side by side. 'Well, more like a survival instinct.' If he hadn't learned early on how to move far, far out of the way of drunken 11th Division members, he'd be death warmed over fifty times by now. "And also, Miss Rukia's signature is very unique."
"Really? How so?" Rukia asked, eyes brightening.
"Ah, well…" Hanataro flushed despite himself. "It's very clear and crisp, like a breath of cold air."
"That's…"
"Very refreshing on hot days like these," Hanataro babbled on in a nervous rush. "Your zanpakuto must be water or ice-based, correct?"
"Yes," Rukia replied, startled. "You got all that just from reading my reiatsu signature?"
"I-it was a lucky guess," Hanataro admitted.
"But still, that's quite amazing!" Rukia's eyes shone even as Hanataro quickly coughed to cover up his nervousness.
xxx
"Ah, Kuchiki-san. Here with Captain Ukitake's health reports again?"
"Yes, Lieutenant Isane—as well as some general reports from the 13th" Rukia said, dropping her stack of papers on the desk, Hanataro close behind.
"You got help from Hanataro again, I see," Isane smiled.
"It was on the way," Hanataro protested mildly as he held up his sewer-cleaning report. "I had some paperwork to turn in as well."
"Hanataro-san has been very helpful this entire month," Rukia said, freely offering her praise. "I am very grateful for his assistance."
"He's quite the gentleman, isn't he?" Isane whispered at Rukia before turning to the Fourth Division shinigami. "By the way, I think you left something here yesterday."
"Huh? Oh, that's—" Hanataro had the grace to look abashed when Isane reached below the desk and took out a blue-handled kantana. "Sorry for the trouble." He took Hisagomaru and tied the sheath somewhat awkwardly to his belt.
"No need," Isane waved it off cheerily. "Just look after it more carefully, all right?"
xxx
"Is that your zanpakuto?" Rukia asked curiously as they left the desk.
"Ah, yes," Hanataro admitted sheepishly. "I don't usually need it, so I end up leaving it behind most of the time…" Mostly because his job centered on healing and cleaning, rather than actual combat. Hisagomaru wasn't the best of weapons for a fight anyways.
"I see," Rukia nodded. 'What a fearless person.' Growing up in the wastes of Rukongai, she knew from experience that it took guts to walk around the streets without a weapon. Seireitei was much better, of course, but rarely were there officers who had the confidence to just leave their weapons lying around. They were a military organization at heart, after all. Hanataro didn't seem like the absent-minded type, so Rukia chalked his behavior up to sheer guts. 'I should learn from his example, and be more confident!'
'She must think I'm pretty pathetic, huh?' Hanataro sighed internally as he glanced at Rukia, who looked deep in thought. 'I can't even keep track of my own zanpakuto. Well, there's no helping the facts, though I wish she didn't have to find out…'
"How is Captain Ukitake doing?" he asked her then, more to break the silence than anything else.
"Much better now, thank you. Captain Unohana said he should be in the clear by the end of this week."
"That's good to hear…so you won't have to carry around all these reports anymore, right?"
"Yes, today will probably be the last time I come to the Fourth. I will be resuming my normal duties and patrols afterwards."
"I see," Hanataro felt a small twinge of regret at that, but quickly snuffed it. Rukia was pretty, kind, and talented…and also way, way out of his league. He saw the gates of the division coming up and went ahead to open the doors for her.
"Thank you again," Rukia smiled as she stepped through. "For this, and everything else this month."
"It's my duty as an officer of the Fourth," Hanataro replied honestly. "Take care, Miss Rukia."
"You as well, Hanataro-san," Rukia nodded, just as a shout cut through the air.
"HEY! WE NEED A MEDIC OVER HERE!"
Startled, the pair turned to see three people heading towards them at full speed. One guy was bald, and carrying another guy on his back, while the third was running by his side and sported a ridiculously long purple eyelash over his right eye.
'Ah, I've seen those 11th Division officers before,' Hanataro blinked in recognition. 'They're good friends with that other guy…the redheaded lieutenant who likes Miss Rukia…' To his surprise, the trio skidded to a stop before him, and Eyelashes regarded him with an imperial sniff.
"You're from the Fourth, aren't you?" the girly-looking guy spoke. "We need help for our friend."
'Then you should bring him into the hospital!' Hanataro silently protested, but Baldy had already set his load on the ground, earning a surprised cry from Rukia.
"This is…Lieutenant Iba, from the Seventh!" she said, kneeling by his side. "What happened?"
"Eh…" Baldy scratched his head.
"Sparring injury," Eyelashes said smoothly, before directly his attention back to Hanataro. "Fix him, please."
"Well, I—" Hanataro began.
"It's his skull," Baldy said as he grabbed Hanataro's shoulder with a bloodstained hand and steered him to the injured man. "Might've cracked it in a few places, couldn't tell with him bleedin' all over the place…"
Hanataro's medical instincts kicked in as he resigned himself to an impromptu examination. Indeed, Iba's skull had been fractured, but more worrying was the lieutenant's pale, clammy complexion and shallow breathing.
"What? What is it, what's wrong?" Baldy asked impatiently. "Why're you frowning, shortie?"
"He's lost a lot a blood," Hanataro said, forcing himself to keep his voice steady before the high spiritual pressures of the two seated officers. "Did anyone try to stop the bleeding?"
Eyelashes and Baldy glanced at each other, before the latter shook his head. "Hell, no. We figured we'd bring him here first."
That complicated matters. An open wound was like a hole in the side of an inflated balloon—leave it too long and the balloon would collapse.
"You can do something, right, Hanataro-san?" Rukia asked worriedly by his side.
"We'll need a blood transfusion as soon as possible(5)," Hanataro replied. "But before that, I have to close the wound." He had all the necessary equipment in his medical kit, but considering Iba's condition, he preferred something more straightforward. Thus, Hanataro reached to his side and unsheathed Hisagomaru.
"The hell you doin' with that sword?!" Baldy leaned forward and Eyelashes drew his zanpakuto, only to be cut off by Hanataro's curt reply.
"Please stand back, shinigami-san. I'm a professional." There was no time to waste. He had to do this now.
And with one swift motion, Hanataro slashed at Iba's head.
xxx
Deep in the labs of the 12th Division, a certain head scientist turned away from the examination table to face one of his officers.
"Repeat that." Mayuri commanded.
Akon gulped as he gingerly set the papers on the cleanest edge of a bloodstained trolley. "Central 46 denied our division's request to examine the prisoner prior to execution, captain."
Silence. Akon swallowed as he took a step back, right as his captain exploded.
"Those idiots!" Mayuri raged. "Can't they understand that they are wasting a potentially valuable specimen? How many werewolves do you know have enough reiryoku to be captains? The knowledge I could gain from a sample of his DNA—from just his blood, alone!"
"I'm sorry, Captain Kurotsuchi," Akon bowed, edging towards the door. "I can try again—"
"Forget it," Mayuri snapped. "Those simpletons are obviously incapable of appreciating my genius."
"Yes, captain—"
"Get out of my sight!"
Akon ran out as fast as his legs could take him as Mayuri turned back, muttering.
"I won't lower myself to ask for their permission anymore. Nemu!"
"Here, captain." His lieutenant emerged from the shadows.
"Clean up this mess and prepare my kit. We have a visit to make."
"Yes, captain."
xxx
Despite a few hiccups in the plan, things had smoothed out in the end. In his office, Aizen drank a sip of Momo's tea and stared thoughtfully out the window at an unobstructed view of the Sokyoku. A soft smile rose to his lips.
Yes. Soon, all the pieces would fall into place, and he would make his next move…
'I wonder how you'll try to stop me this time, Kisuke.'
(1)'…mysterious figure in a hooded black coat' – Nope, that's not old man Zangetsu attire. Here's where I decided to bend the rules. If you want to know my reasons, read the Explaining Zangetsu section after the author's notes. ;)
(2) '…even Goro's lost two pounds' – Isn't it weird how Komamura has a pet dog? It's like…Hello Kitty and her pet cat. The mind boggles.
(3) 'Geta-Boshi' – Hat-and-Clogs. :)
(4) 'Hado #4: Byakurai' – From the many, many Bleach kido encyclopedias online: Way of Destruction Spell #4: White Lightning. "The user fires a concentrated, powerful lightning bolt from their finger."
(5) '…need a blood transfusion…' – Uh, yeah, do shinigami have a blood bank? Does blood have a material existence after you're dead? I mean, shinigami can diefrom wounds, and they wear bandages when they're injured…so whatever! Let's just say they do and save me the headaches of Afterlife First Aid 101.
A/N: That's it, folks! Hope you enjoyed the show, and don't forget to take some leftover popcorn on the way out. Yeah, some scenes got skipped, others got dragged out—it all depended on what held my interest. One thing I love about Bleach is its wide case of characters. So many different people with such unique personalities! Everyone with their own POVs and ways of thinking! I basically gave 'em this story and everyone ran with it in different directions, so to chase them all down I had to write a monster of a chapter. It was supposed to be only around 5-6k words, but I wanted to fit in more stuff that happened before the Soul Society Infiltration started so this was the final result. (And, er, we still have a bit more to go before our ryoka invade but this looked like a good place to take a breather.) As you can see, there are a lot of loose threads at the moment but it'll all come together in the future and be (hopefully) logical and glorious and awesome. Did you have fun munching through all the text? Chew slowly so you can digest it better. ;)
Reviews are optional but appreciated. See ya next time! (Oh, and PM me if you take up Love Psycho's challenge, all right? I'd love to read other variations!)
Explaining Zangetsu
(Most of this is just pure speculation and crack!guessing on my part, but I like to follow some semblance of logic, so here's my explanation for readers who are confused.)
Canon!Ichigo has InnerHollow!Zangetsu and Quincy!Zangetsu, and from what I've read, both were 'originally part of one being' before Ichigo's Hollowfication accidentally splits his powers in two. Since Komamura taught Ichigo jinzen in this story, he was able to contact his zanpakuto spirit and establish a stronger connection, thus making it easier to 1)re-establish contact after Tousen sealed off 'his' powers (really, Komamura's portion of shinigami powers, rather than Ichigo's own innate potential), 2)enter his inner world, 3)find the red ribbon to turn shinigami before Hollowfication occurred. Thus, Zangetsu did not split, and remains a fusion of Quincy/Shinigami/inner-Hollow-inherited-from-mother.
We know from canon that Komamura treasures and hones the bond with his own zanpakuto—a relationship so strong that his bankai can even recover from damage taken in battle. Consider then, that the captain passes on this lesson to his apprentice, Ichigo, and watch the results.
So what would Ichigo's intact Zangetsu look like? Well, first, let's talk about the Bleach Zanpakuto Tales arc. It's basically a filler arc in anime, but Word of God says that Tite Kubo wrote the script and had planned to put in the manga at some point but couldn't find time. So for that purposes alone, I'm cautiously adopting it as the canon of my AU-verse.
Anyways, the important thing here is that the zanpakuto spirits all manifest in the outside world in a form that mirrors how their wielders view them in the inner world. (Yes, I'm aware that Hyorinmaru is a long-haired bishounen vs. big flying dragon in Hitsugaya's inner world; but I'm of the opinion that the little taicho is an aberration. He is what Gin calls "the embodiment of a heavenly guardian that would be reincarnated every few centuries" in an anime episode. Making the rest of the shinigami and their zanpakutos the normal standard. Moving on…)
More importantly, these zanpakuto spirits don't arbitrarily change their appearances between using shikai and bankai. Canon!Zangetsu does—just look at Tensa Zangetsu (Zangetsu's bankai form). Make a note of that. Now, knowing that shinigami can only achieve bankai after forming a closer bond with their zanpakuto, logic leads me to theorize that the bankai state is closer to the true power, or purest potential, of a zanpakuto spirit. Which leads me to assume that Tensa Zangetsu is closest to Zangetsu in his "truest" state, and by extension, his original appearance.
Now wait a minute, you say. That makes some sense, but what about the fused form of Tensa Zangetsu? The one with white hair and two different eyes? Wouldn't that be a better candidate for Zangetsu's true appearance since it combines all of Ichigo's powers? Well, the appearance differences are thanks to Hollow!Ichigo—whom, as you remember, looks like an inverted version of Ichigo himself. First off, Ichigo's always had inner Hollow powers (thanks to the incident with his mom's death). My theory is that Hollow!Ichigo's physical form (that Whitey/Shiro/Dark Ichigo guy) didn't exist until Ichigo's Hollowfication occurred in the Shattered Shaft. That incident ripped apart the Hollow/Shinigami and Quincy sides of Ichigo's powers, forcing them into separate forms permanently. Something was damaged irreparably there. Thus, while Tensa Zangetsu can combine all of Ichigo's powers into one being, the result is less than perfect; resulting in the black-and-white zanpakuto spirit we've seen in the manga. Yes, his powers are all together, but not in their original forms as part of one being.
So, in this universe, Zangetsu never got split up, and stays whole/complete/intact with the physical appearance of Tensa Zangetsu. But he's still a swirling mix of Quincy/Hollow/Shinigami powers, and that will manifest in his personality. (Quincy is serious/mature, Hollow is vulgar/snarky, Tensai is deadpan/distant, and Zangetsu is a mishmash of all three.) Anyways, that was my poor attempt to make sense of Zangetsu. He's very confusing. I hope my interpretation doesn't spoil your enjoyment of this fic, but if it does—you're welcome to quit it any time. I won't hold it against you. :)
(Full Disclosure: I like the looks of Tensa Zangetsu far better than Hollow!Ichigo or old man Zangetsu. The slasher smile and stubble just don't work for me, you know? And the hoodie coat, I tell you! THE HOODIE COAT! I want one!)
