To previous reviewers. Thank you for your compliments, criticism and insight. The original pairing I decided was Kai/ichi. Its still a long way off and may change.
I also haven't forgotten about Toushirou. He will indeed play a significant role in this story, although perhaps a different one to what you think.
Toushirou will unfortunately be Ooc. He will also be considerably more powerful than depicted in the anime, im sure you wont mind the power boost at least. I will strive to include twin interaction
disclaimer: I do not own bleach
Chapter two- Trials and Tricks
1 week, 1 month before the order for rukia's return is issued
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The 7th had been without a taichou for years. It must be said, they'd done an admirable job managing without
Maybe that was why she had neglected her full duties, spending most of her spare time trying to carve up Kenpachi.
Maybe it was because she knew they were frightened by her.
But in the end the true reason she had been neglecting her division was because Kaishirou hadn't wanted to become a taichou. Unlike Toushirou she had no motivation to join the Gotei Thirteen beyond protecting granny's health and letting her know were they were.
Toushirou when very young had been captured by the heroism, the grandeur of the shinigami. The ones who stood holding the line from darkness. Fighting against merciless monsters threatening to consume the world. The idea enthralled him. Kaishirou being more sceptical and judgemental truly felt the age of those extra seconds separating her from Toushirou.
In romanticised delusions her twin had seemed so heartrendingly young.
From her youngest childhood recollections the shinigami seemed arrogant. Coolly indifferent to cruelty going on in Rukongai districts. Kaishirou had seen children's corpses, shed seen gangs prey on the weak in less ordered districts. All of which the shinigami turned a blind eye. They might have been stopping the annihilation of the world but they certainly weren't doing anything to make it better.
Learning more in the academy about their soul society's saga only toughened the stance. Central 46 classically made unilateral judgments which were then set in stone. Exterminating the Quincy's and the punctually executing anyone who disagreed with them to name some. It seemed they believed they could make no possible mistake in judgement. One look at district 80 showed starkly that wasn't true.
Had the last millennia had been enough time to consider improving conditions in the rukongai?
Evidently not.
Kaishirou hadn't believed in their justice then. She still didn't now.
Once granny had died the only reason Kaishirou became a shinigami was that she was damned if Toushirou was going to leave her behind.
Becoming a taichou was merely an extension of the same logic.
There was no passion in the decision. Kaishirou knew her capability inside out. There was no insecurity at passing the test. No sense of accomplishment. No joy in attaining the position or donning the haori.
Becoming a taichou wasn't a desire or dream. It was a change of life, promising a different future, not necessarily a better one. Her responsibilities were an unwanted burden. The partner of an arranged marriage. She had almost laughed when Yammamoto said her character was befitting of a taichou. How could someone who didn't want to become a taichou have the right character? Something she also wasn't about to mention to him anytime soon.
It had been so much simpler to take out her frustration on an obliging Zaraki rather than think about how to actually make this work.
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She stared at the door.
She had been staring at it for several minutes. Each time she curled her hand to knock the said had took on a life of its own, uncurling again.
Kaishirou prized herself on being self sufficient and competent. Asking for help was contrary to her nature. This stubbornness of hers ran deep. During her academy time shed once gotten sick (possibly life threateningly so). Irrational, delirious and volatile she refused to admit anything was wrong. Repulsing any form of assistance Even from poor Toushirou. Even when the agony was so great she couldn't move.
The idea of asking for a healer, a stranger, someone who would shy from her eyes, was so repellent she would have lain there enduring that pain for months longer. Even if her absurd stubbornness cost her life.
Luckily Toushirou understood this as well as she did. Purchasing the medicine Toushirou hid it under her pillow. That her body wouldn't submit to her own will. That she needed something stung. It took all her willpower to throw aside that irrational stubbornness and take the damned medicine while Toushirou slept.
Kaishirou never said anything and neither had he when she recovered. She wished there was a way of expressing to him how grateful she was. For him understanding her, never reprimanding her or complaining when she was being so stupid and headstrong. But she knew it was Toushirou. He knew anyway.
Ukitake taichou offered to give advice if needed to the twins. The memory of the wide, unnecessarily happy grin. The vast mountain containing candy confections of every type made Kaishirou wince just remembering. It decisively ruled him out.
He was one of the strongest, wisest and most experienced of taichous.
He was also annoying.
He was everything Kaishirou was not minus the white hair. This was already painful as it is, Kaishirou didn't think she could take being forced to interact with him on top of it.
In a small (often phasing out of existence rational) corner of her mind she knew ukitake could be serious. That he would understand the burden of being a taichou. But this rational section remained deeply buried in the shifting quagmire of her subconscious.
And even if it had occurred to her the headstrong part had already locked it out as a possibility. It was a weakness she would get around to rectifying…someday.
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Captain Tousen was a person that Kaishirou felt a certain respect for.
Assigned to the 9th upon graduating she hadn't known what to expect. Tousen was far more than she could have hoped for. Never seemed to be troubled by her talents. Never putting her in situations where awkward social tendencies became evident. Tousen never judged her.
He couldn't see her. For a change Kaishirou's exotic features were inconsequential.
Hed never been hypnotised by her beauty. Never flinched from her eyes. She had been able to talk to him normally. This experience, one so normal and so rare for her was she had treasured. He inspired in her an epiphany. Others could grow to see her good qualities, given time and opportunity.
Kaishirou would probably never tell him this.
The few occasions while serving in the ninth she had ever asked for help, he provided it with simplicity and wisdom born from experience.
His ideals of fighting for a noble cause (unconsidered by her) went a long way. shaping Kaishirou's previously nonexistent morals at the time. She had disagreements. Particularly about fighting.
She knew he disapproved of her and Zaraki's "spars". Knew he didn't like either the results or the reasoning. Kaishirou believed fighting was part of human nature. The energy coursing through her blood in a fight was deadly real. Pretending it didn't exist was complacent, irrational and self deluding.
It was something one had to acknowledge at some one point.
That humans did enjoy fighting.
That you could killgiven the right set if circumstances.
That you could enjoy it.
Kaishirou believed a good clash on occasion was beneficial. Fighting and hardship kept ones skill sharp. Stopped you getting complacent. More than that it sharply reminded you of what was truly important. Life was so much more precious, when threatened.
Kaishirou become lethally dangerous in a fight. But she felt the rules in a fight were different.
Violence was compulsory. No matter who the opponent was or what type of person they were.
Kaishirou's violence while cold-blooded, was calculated and firmly set aside for the occasion. Her division, had startlingly little to fear from her. Despite the vast voids between her and Tousen's philosophies Kaishirou felt she would have been a poorer person without his guidance.
Like her he was a person of few words. But those words mattered.
He was highly capable and had years of experience running a division. If she ever needed a shortcut for experience now was it, and if there was ever a person she could ask for advice it was him.
She bit her tongue sharply, the sharp metallic taste of blood could be tasted but it cleared her mind. The knuckles finally moved towards the door with a purpose but a fraction before they hit Tousen's voice
"Please come in Kaishirou taichou" emanated from the other side.
Feeling more than slightly annoyed she entered.
Not being nearby shed lapsed, forgetting how heightened his senses were. Tousen once demonstrated identifying every person in his division by rietsu alone. He once said that you could only properly appreciate your senses until you had lost one.
He encouraged her to practise zenjutsu forms and sparring blindfolded.
Kaishirou, sceptical at first found her forms and sensing abilities improving far beyond anything she imagined. Toushirou had been so impressed that they'd taken to sparring blindfolded many a time.
Tousen had undoubtedly sensed her rietsu entering the 9th division a quarter of an hour ago. Bastard had just let her wait outside getting all worked up. That annoyed her. What annoyed her more was that he could sense rietsu fluctuations enough to know she was annoyed. Blind he was but unperceptive he certainly wasn't.
Entering she observed that the office somehow felt smaller. Tousen looked shorter too, even though she was certain she hadn't grown a micron over the last month.
He sat at his desk.. Straight in posture but with an ease completely devoid in Kaishirou. Toushirou occasionally joked her stiffness would ultimately have her hobbling around like an old granny.
Tousen still wore that orange scarf. She felt a strange impulsive urge to ask why he wore it. Had becoming a taichou made that much of a difference?
"You could have just told me to walk in at the start" Kaishirou said with a little resentment."
She was young. Kaishirou figured she was entitled to a few childish emotions. At least before the duties of a taichou forced her to become an adult before her time.
"I could have, but then you might not have gathered the resolve to enter of your own violation. Its important to remember that even the strongest from time to time need help" he said calmly, unperturbed by her annoyance.
It was a lesson Kaishirou was still struggled with after all these years. It made it all the more humiliating for him to point it out.
"So why didn't you let me knock?"
She was sure there was a smile was lurking behind impassive features, struggling to get out. She supposed being teased gently was better than feeling uncomfortable.
But only just.
"To remind you of something even more basic, the early bird gets the worm"
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Tousen never did any of this before. Perhaps he put all the new taichous who visited him through this routine.
"Congratulations on becoming taichou, I never had any doubts"
"Thank you" Seemed like an appropriate thing to say. But Kaishirou just nodded, she hadn't either. He didn't offer a chair knowing she preferred standing.
"How have you adjusted to your new rank?"
With unswerving precision he reached to the heart of the dilemma. Kaishirou felt an almost irresistible urge to say everything was fine and that shed just came here for a social visit, notwithstanding that she didn't do social visits. The vocal patterns formed in her head, her lips protruded to say the words.
She bit herself again…hard. This was just not turning into a good day for her tongue.
"Im still… adjusting" Kaishirou said stiffly.
She sighed before continuing. It never ceased to amaze her that no matter how graceful her sword mastery became the gracelessness of her conversational skills aspired to ever greater heights.
"Its worse than that …they're scared of me… terrified in fact. Everything I do seems to terrify them. Im not good… at talking, and nobody there seems to be able to talk to me at all"
There was a long pause.
"From where I'am now I just don't see how this is going to work"
One thing her division had in common with her it was they weren't big on conversation. Although being scared beyond reason was a factor. Kaishirou initially believed her division would grow accustomed to her presence over a few days.
However the fear seemed like mould. Difficult to get rid off and developing growths over time.
Kaishirou knew it was now heading to a point of no return. Soon nothing she said or did would make a difference. Which was the main reason she had bit down her pride (literally) and came to Tousen taichou. Kaishirou was grateful that he ignored her grating the words out.
"It is not unusual for there to be difficulties adjusting to a new taichou especially for a squad that has gone so long without. I believe you have much to offer to the 7th" He said it reasonably but she still felt an irrational surge of anger.
Did people shrieking and bursting into tears on sight count as "difficulties" Kaishirou also felt an irrational jealousy towards her twin. She loved Toushirou more than life itself, but the resentment of what came so easily to him was difficult to ignore.
That old squad commander must be getting senile if he put someone like her, with so many flaws in charge of a division. That being said with Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi as colleagues sanity clearly wasn't one of the job requirements.
"What use is that if they cant even look at me without flinching"
There was a slight pause. Tousen didn't seem bothered by her tone. Just as well because she didn't feel like apologising. He leaned forward slightly, trying to get across something across in his softly spoken words.
"Maybe they just need to learn to see you without their eyes" he said
Kaishirou's limited patience approached breaking limits at being offered useless cookie wisdom.
"That's.." she had been about to rudely blurt out "stupid". But with a flash of insight a memory burst through. A path suddenly illuminated in her head. It just might actually work.
"You remembered the first thing I taught you" It was finally visible, the smallest smile on his dark features.
Kaishirou cocked an eyebrow. Why was she even surprised at this point?
"You really are perceptive Tousen taichou"
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The next day division members not present in the real world received a message that they were to assemble in the 7th squad training area.
Order signed by Kaishirou taichou.
Their terrifying taichou taking a more direct interest in them was not comforting. But by the same token nobody thought missing it was a good idea either.
If Kaishirou had been feeling honest with herself (which she wasn't) she would have noted that part of her (the part matching blades with kenpachi) liked playing the role of petrifying taichou.
Had revelled in becoming the focal point of all that fear. In many ways it was flattering. Seeing the breath freeze in people walking nearby. Seeing hands tremble. Seeing their eyes widen as they beheld her lithe form. Enjoyed walking into the mess and sensing people shudder involuntarily, losing their appetite. Enjoying notoriety that only a handful of criminals achieved in the real world.
But (whether her conscious mind realised) the novelty had worn off. She felt stuck with a bunch of adults who had never matured past childhood fears.
She could have spoken to the Sou taichou, abdicating her rank. But a challenge once placed before was not to be ignored for long.
Even if she consciously ignored it the challenge simply retreated to some dark corridor of her subconscious. It gnawed away until it broke through her barriers demanding attention.
Even before speaking to Tousen her mind had been churning away at the problem. Kaishirou found new strategies popping up almost fully formed. Being a prodigy wasn't so bad sometimes.
The whole situation may be a mess but it was her mess. This was her responsibility now. These people were hers to command, hers to protect.
A squads heart was its taichou and this one had a frozen heart.
It was time to crack the ice.
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Her zanpaktau had once taught her that Bankai was what you had, when you had nothing.
Kaishirou stood in the courtyard facing a hundred of her division members. She stared at them, some stared back, most looked away and the remainder fidgeted.
Right now she had precisely nothing. Yet Kaishirou was out here anyway because that's what a taichou was supposed to do.
Staring at the sea of faces before her. It would have been impossible to tell who was more uncomfortable. Her appearance was impeccable, her skin seemed to glow with health. Even her sword handle had an extra sparkle to it. It did nothing to make her less fearsome for them.
Best to just say her piece and get it over and done with.
Finally she started speaking. It was unconscious…truly. But there was a always a depth layered in her voice, something beneath. Subtle but there. Her voice rang out clear across the air. Head turned, taken aback, almost mesmerised by the sound.
Kaishirou valiantly tried to make her speech sound genuine. However she couldn't prevent feeling vaguely ridiculous the whole time.
"I've been ignoring a problem in this division for long enough" There dramatic pause. A planned dramatic pause.
"I'll say it straight out. You're afraid of me. Everything about me terrifies you. You can barely stand to be near me, let alone trust me in battle." It was a weird thing about speeches. You said what everyone already knew but it always seemed like a shock to hear it.
There was a shiver. They were terrified to agree, terrified to disagree so Kaishirou saved them the trouble.
"This is not going to work as it is, for better or worse both you and I will be working with each other" she betted the prospect was just as bad for them as it was for her.
"I'am not asking for blind trust." Well not yet anyway.
"Trust is something that must be hard earned and grown over time. I'am your taichou and I will work to earn that trust." She'd practised hard to make that part sound noble and endearing.
"I know right now you're uncertain of me" Scared stiff more accurately.
"But you're my responsibility now. as long as you are I will protect you with my life if necessary. All I ask is you not to let blind fear control your actions" A ridiculous thought occurred to her. How would they have reacted if she had said "all I want is your blood!"
Kaishirou had been very persuasive, very eloquent. She was relieved. It seemed like all those hours of practising in front of a mirror wasn't just a noxious exercise of vanity. They looked confused and uncertain. It was a level above terrified. She'd take it.
"For now we'll work on getting you to trust your own senses. Half of you please take a blindfold."
There was a bunch of uneasy glances. A few made motions to pick some up but hesitated when nobody else moved. She guessed putting a blindfold on with her around was an unappealing prospect.
She'd been prepared for this.
It was something of a gamble but if it worked would kill two birds with one stone. If it didn't then all that self-conscious practising in front of a mirror would be in vain.
For taichous it really was make it or break it.
Kaishirou looked around and spotted the person she was looking for. She picked up a blindfold and walked over to the nervous girl who had cried when running into her the other day. If Kaishirou could convince the most fearful person in her division to have a try, pride would then demand that the others follow. If Kaishirou got it right it would also be a safeguard from future tearful incidents.
That was if the girl didn't start crying again.
She become rigid when Kaishirou approached, trembling noticeably. To her credit she met the sub zero teal gaze. They faced each other. Kaishirou's soft white fingers held out the blindfold to the girl. Her voice echoed softly, so softly to be heard only by the two of them.
"Don't let that fear control you…rise above it"
For an instant Kaishirou seemed old and emanated an understanding far beyond her years. The girl reached out to grasp the blindfold. Kaishirou gave the smallest of nods. With a flash of shaky determination in her eyes the girl fastened the cloth around her head. Her entire posture changed, suggesting a determination to try her best..
Kaishirou had to stop herself sighing in relief. That could have gone so much worse. She had a spark, now to coax out the flames.
"I want you to relax and focus on sensing my rietsu. Feel the coldness of it. Feel where its strongest. Imagine it as a glowing light in your mind."
Tousen had hit a nail on the head with sensory deprivation. While sensing rietsu with closed eyes visualisation came unasked. The colours swirling when your eyes closed took shape becoming brighter and clearer. When observing a rietsu, easily the brightest thing was a zanpaktau. With time and practise you could discern the chain link and soul sleep.
When Tousen come across Kaishirou, absorbed with practising in the training area he asked to demonstrate an exercise. A little perplexed but willing to give her taichou the benefit of the doubt Kaishirou agreed and was promptly handed a blindfold.
He asked her to relax and sense his rietsu. It hadn't taken long to identify the his sword as being the greatest concentration of power. From there he had asked her to imitate a few basic movements. Kaishirou was soon perfectly imitating his blades forms. She was amazed at how acute her senses had become from removing her sight for a short time.
She also hadn't failed to note that a bond had developed.
The bond between master and student was an ancient one and came naturally to human nature.
One generous with experience and wisdom giving knowledge, the other young, admiring, vigorous and eager to receive. Kaishirou was not going to develop spoken bonds anytime soon. Kaishirou would have to rely on the chemistry created by her actions.
Taking away the girls sight had double effect. Firstly it removed the sight which inspired such dread. However most critically it forced them to trust her, forced them to trust themselves. Already the previously nervous girl was concentrating hard on the task rather than her fear.
"Search for the coldest, brightest light, my sword"
It took the girl a while but she got there. It helped that Kaishirou was both taichou class and had a highly distinctive iciness to her rietsu. Compared to the other shinigami gathered here she knew her rietsu shone like the moon on a cloudless frozen sky.
"Good. Now I want you to copy the movements I make with my sword. I'll do them slowly at first. Keep relaxed, let the movements flow through you. Try to make the image of my sword as clear as possible, as if you were seeing it with your own eyes" Kaishirou forget a lot of her own annoyances. Becoming absorbed in the task despite herself. The master and student phenomenon ran both ways.
The girl was almost a different person. Determined and focused. Several members of the 7th looked impressed against their will. Slowly, Kaishirou ran through several basic forms taught in the shinigami academy.
The blindfolded shinigami, hesitant at first, gradually built up her movements in confidence and precision. She picked it up faster than Kaishirou expected. Completing four sets of movement accurately Kaishirou decided she could sense well enough for the exercise.
"Now go into a relaxed defensive stance. In a second Im going to try to hit you once" Immediately the girl tensed up.
Kaishirou started talking before she could descend into greater depths of fear. "just like you've been doing, sense my sword and block. You're capable. Trust your senses, trust yourself"
The air tensed. Every shinigami had their attention fixed on the pair. The girl swallowed but resolutely held fast.
Kaishirou's blade moved towards the girl.
Not anywhere near as swiftly or hard as it could but enough to draw attention.
clang!!
The swords met, reverberating against each other. The girl was breathing fast, relieved shed blocked it. Kaishirou removed her sword.
She felt a ridiculous feeling of pride, though whether it was in herself or the girl she didn't know.
"You did well for a first try at the exercise. Take off your blindfold and let someone else have a go"
The girl removed the cloth blinking owlishly as she came into contact with the sunlight. She stared at Kaishirou without avoiding her eyes. She had a curious look on her face. She looked as if she had something unspoken in her own eyes. Whether it was a thanks or apology or relief Kaishirou didn't know.
It was for another time anyway.
Kaishirou gave her an approving nod before turning to speak to the crowd at large.
"Being able to sense a blade without seeing it could well save your life. Now split off into pairs. Start off slowly sensing each others rietsu. Then try copying basic sword movements. When you're confident see if the blindfolded person can black a slow swing. Once they can do that switch over."
The assembled shinigami shouted in unison
"Hai taichou!"
They dividing up, setting about their task. Kaishirou had a flame.
Kaishirou walked amidst division members correcting and demonstrating when necessary. As Tousen predicted many people reacted better to sound than sight. Her voice was a soothing clarity putting them at ease a lot better than her eyes did. Her voice in fact was almost like a melody.
Once the pairs had completed the exercise a few times she had both partners put on blindfolds.
"Remember to make sure your partner can sense your movements clearly before you attempt any swings. Skills take time to acquire. Do your best but don't rush at it." She felt mildly hypocritical saying it with her prodigy status and hectically paced career. But even Kaishirou couldn't learn everything instantly. She still had to work hard and over a period of time.
The majority rapidly learned to sense their partners rietsu and successfully block. They all seemed to be making unexpected progress in sensing Kaishirou's own distinctive spirit pulse. When she walked nearby heads turned despite being blindfolded.
Even Kaishirou was surprised at the stellar progress. Perhaps she would recommend to Yammamoto that it become part of the curriculum at the academy.
She had ones who did exceptionally well switch partners so they could practise sensing other peoples rietsu. Kaishirou felt unreasonably pleased to see her demonstrating student as one of them.
Her division whatever other flaws they had were competent soldiers. There was a minimum of tripping up and injuries of any note. All in all she thought they had began to see her in a new light and improved their skills along the way.
Kaishirou could now walk along corridors, nod at division member and receive a tentative one in return. No more freezing up and panicked bows. She was unsure if this was due to increased confidence or them being able to sense her rietsu a while way off and having time to prepare themselves.
Either way she supposed one had to start somewhere.
Thank you for reading