Chapter Two

Bankai-Tsunami Kagesakura- Bloodshed Tears!

I woke up before the sun rose to train my Bankai since it wasn't exactly . . . the . . . best . . . yet . . .

After setting a few barriers up, just for safety, since my bankai could and might reach others, I started to train.

"Bankai! Tsunami Kagesakura- Bloodshed Tears!" I chanted loudly as I pulled out my zanpuktou.

My zanpuktou, a water type, could be used in either solid or liquid form. In bankai form, it was tangible and of a crimson shade similar to blood. It could be controlled with a flick of my hand or by the simple movement of my wrist.

I began slashing a gigantic tree until it turned to shreds . . . to dust.

After shredding a few more trees, I felt my barriers disappear.

"Who's there?" I shouted, on guard, as I tensed, looking cautiously at my surroundings.

A figure appeared out of the shadows.

Head Captain Yamamato.

I lowered down my guard. The look on my face . . . shock. Plain, pure shock.

Bowing my head, I said respectfully, "Head Captain Yamamato."

"I see that you have achieved bankai," he smiled seemingly.

"Hai," I replied hesitantly as my zanpuktou returned to its solid form, two feet f metal, and a six-inch hilt of gold and silver.

"If that is the case, I would like you to accompany Captain Hitsugaya of Squad Ten and his division to kill some hundred hollows in the Rukon Districts," he told me. " You are to meet Captain Hitsugaya in front of his office at ten . . . sharp."

:If they are attacking now, wouldn't it be better if we attacked . . . now?" I questioned.

"They have not yet reached anywhere near the gates. Until then . . ." Head Captain Yamamato trailed off. "And, I will keep your bankai . . . confidential for now."

"Hai," I bowed, implying my respects, as he turned around to leave. "And, arigato, Yamamato-sama."

"After standing completely still for several minutes, I resumed to my training.

Once I had showered back in my apartment, there was a letter in my mailbox.

It read:

Dear Asuka,

We just want to say that we love you. We haven't seen you since back at the Academy and have heard that you have been ranked Third Seat in the Division of your dreams. We are so lucky that we are still together although we have "died" and are mere "spirits" . . . of the Mizukashi clan. We were invisible . . . and you made us proud . . . the proudest parents of the entire Society. No matter where we are . . . we will always think of you . . . Please mail us regularly!

Until we meet again,

Mother and Father

Letter end.

Tears of joy were streaming down from my face. I was so lucky to be born of them. They were my light . . . my everything . . .

I carefully re-sealed the letter and locked it within my drawer by my bed. Looking at the analof clock on my bed stand, it read 9:45 A.M."

As much as I wanted to reply to my parents' letter, I had to leave to the Division Ten barracks.

Using my shunpo skills, I sprinted to the Squad Ten barracks.

Walking around, trying to find which office belonged to Captain Hitsugaya, I finally discovered it since it was in the exact center of the entire Division Ten barracks. Light green grass surrounded his lone apartment . . . isolated from the rest. Connected right next to his was Lieutenant Rangiku's apartment. It was pbvious to find whose was whose since those with reiatsu could see that there were the words "Squad Ten Captain" and "Squad 10 Lieutenant" right above their doors.

I knocked on Captain Hitsugaya's door, and it was opened by Lieutenant Matsumoto.

"Are you the girl Captain Yamamato asked for?" she asked me, completely sober.

"Yes," I answered her question, and she let me in,

"Captain Toshiro!" she sand playfully, toying with the short captain. "Captain Yamamato's recruit's here! It's that girl who wants some extra training or something!"

"Please, Rangiku," be serious," Captain Hitsugaya sighed as he leaned upon a wall, zanpakuto strapped by his side.

I bowed, "Captain Hitsugaya,"

Hitsugaya Toshiro's Point of View

The moment she said my name, I lifted my head to face her. Her stunning cerulean eyes hit me like a shock wave. Other than that, she seemed like any other shinigami.

"Name?" I asked simply.

"Mizukashi Asuka," she replied, lifting her head up to face me instead to Rangiku.

I looked at the time. 9:55 A.M.

"Time to go," I informed them as we stepped out of my apartment.

All the division members were lined up, chatting along with their comrades. By the time I stood before them with both Rangiku and Asuka on either side of me.

"Groups One and two will take the east side!" I shouted for my men to hear,

In return, they cheered in reply.

"Groups three and four will take on the west side!" I yelled, and in return, they also cheered.

"And, lastly, Groups five and six will take the North Side!" I hollered, and groups five and six cheered as well. "I will go with groups five and six. Lieutenant Matsumoto will go with groups one and two, and Third Seat Mizukashi of Division Two will go with Groups Three and Four!"

"Groups One and Two . . . Come with me!" Rangiku motioned her group to come with her to take the east side.

"Five and six!" I called my group.

Nodding to Mizukashi-san, I took my leave.

Mizukashi Asuka's Point of View

Both the Captain and Lieutenant of Division Ten left me with my group of shinigami to the East gates . . . scratch that . . . West . . .

An approximate 150 shinigami were under my wing . . .

What did Captain Yamamato want me to do? Show off?

"Well, then, shunpo, everyone? Always follow the person in front of you at all times until we get to the battle site. Partner with someone at all times, understood?" I questioned.

"How about you, Mizukashi-sama?" one man asked me.

"I'll do it alone,: my voice wavered . . . a feel . . . of finality.

Soon afterwards, we all began to use our shunpo to get to get to the coordinates. I had everyone paired up evenly. Each pair to attack each hollow one time after the other. My plan . . . for myself . . . was to use my bankai . . . To make sure that no one would know that I defeated a large amount of hollows with my water-tangible sword. I would disperse my sword into water droplets . . . each planted onto a hollow . . . tearing it to shreds before moving on to the next hollow. I wasn't sure if it would work or not . . . but it was worth the try . . . All that training . . . it could've been worth it.

Directing my men to the site, an estimate of a thousand hollows stood there . . . Waiting for us . . . their prey.

"Attack!" I heard both Hitsugaya and Matsumoto yell.

"Let's go!" I shouted to my group as they all started to take down the hollows.

I took Tsunami, my zanpakuto, out of her sheath.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"As I'll ever be," she whispered soothingly.

"Bankai . . ." I started my chant. "Tsunami . . . rise!"

My shikai formed first.

"Tsunami Kagesakura . . . Bloodshed Tears!" I whispered, as my sword became water itself.

I then dispersed it so that each hollow, still alive, had a "tear" attached to it.

I took a quick glance around me.

Captain Hitsugaya was fighting a Menos. Matsumoto was fighting an Adjuchas, the classified "Intermediate Great Hollow." Other shinigami were fighting Gillians . . . all the way to Adjuchas . . .

I then saw a man . . . a hollow . . . slashed his chest . . . his partner . . . covered him as he tried to heal himself.

"Tsunami . . . Kagesakura . . . Clear!" I shouted softly as all the hollows, ranging from Gillians . . . To Adjuchas . . . to Menos . . . were unknowingly affected by my bankai.

Right then . . . my "tears," of a blood-red color . . . turned the hollows to shreds . . . until it faded away . . .

The shinigami around me were staring at the sight in shock . . . and amazement . . . To mask my familiarity to my bankai, I placed a shocked expressions upon my face as well.

"Captain Hitsugaya . . .what speculation is this?" Lieutenant Matsumoto asked her superior.

"I-I . . . don't . . . know!" he cried in exasperation as hollows started . . . and continued . . . to turn to dust.

By the time all the hollows disappeared, everyone was either in awe or shock.

Hitsugaya Toshiro's Point of View

The sight . . . the view . . . who did this?

My first guess was Mizukashi-san. I knew all my team members' abilities; this, however, was out of the question! It was the rare bankai!

I immediately looked over at Mizukashi. She was in shock . . . the look on her face . . . was just pure shock. It was then that I was sure that Mizukashi was not the bankai initiator.

OnceI was sure that all the hollows were miraculously taken care of, I commanded both Matsumoto and Mizukashi to guide the groups back to Division Ten.

I gathered Matsumoto and Mizukashi to my office to discuss the event during our mission.

"But what could it possibly be?" Matsumoto cried, taking a sup of the tea I gave her in place of sake.

"Could it be that there is a secret shinigami who hides his or her reiatsu . . . and bankai in Soul Society or something of the sort?" Mizukashi-san asked curiously.

"I doubt it," I sighed. "Besides, if it were so, we would've most likely detected it by now. Maybe we should ask Head Captain Yamamato about this."

"I agree with you, Toshiro-taichou," Rangiku nodded her head solemnly. "We don't exactly know whether this person is a threat or not . . ."

"Then it's decided," Mizukashi-san spoke. "Let's have a meeting with all the Division captains on this subject as soon as possible."

"You will also have to attend," Mizukashi-san," I told her.

"I know," was the last phrase spoken before I dismissed both Mizukashi and Rangiku for the night.