Chapter 3: Midnight Revelations

Even though Kensei and Mashiro still argued and got on each other's nerves, they'd established common ground. Though one thing did still bother Kensei. Mashiro kept no secrets except for why she went to a psychiatrist twice a week. All he knew was that he was to get her there safely and then bring her back safely.

Kensei never asked questions; it wasn't his business until she told him. In the few months that had passed, Kensei found that tracking the mercenaries that were after the childish green-haired princess was nearly impossible. There were no leads, no traces, nothing; and Kensei wasn't exactly willing to put Mashiro up for bait.

Now usually, Kensei wouldn't have a problem; he was very capable and had never lost a client. But there was just something about turning Mashiro up for bait that didn't sit right with him. As Kensei watched Mashiro bounce and dance around with Akina the bumble bee, he pondered this. What was so different about Mashiro that Kensei couldn't bear even the thought of her life being put in peril? It wasn't because she was royalty and he'd lose his job if he failed; no, his instincts told him it went deeper than that.

He knew for a fact that if it had been Hiyori, he'd put her up for bait in a heart beat and let things go a little far; just to laugh at her facial expressions and reactions. But for some reason, the mere thought of laughing at Mashiro's expense in such a situation turned his stomach. But why? He wondered, scratching the back of his head. Why do I feel this way?

It was completely out of character for the sadistic Kensei Muguruma, the war veteren who entered at 14 to raise money for his sick mother and to get away from the place where his younger brother played his last mock soccer game. The man who killed many with his bare hands and with a sword; even more with guns during the war with Las Noches on Sokyoku Hill. The man who had been discharged due to being framed for the murder of a certain Sosuke Aizen, who had been the one to run over Shuuhei.

(He hadn't been prosecuted due to the fact that he was a war hero. Rugonkai and Seretei's systems were kind of jank, but hey. Kensei didn't really mind on skipping out of the one way ticket to jail, especially when he didn't even murder the b******...though in reality, given the chance, he probably wouldn't hesitate in making it incredibly slow and painful; let out a little sadism.)

Kensei could kill and torture people without a second thought; he was a well trained soldier, after all. Why should a green-haired, stuck up, annoying, spoiled, royal pain in the f****** *** teenager change any of that?! How the h*** did that work?! Mashiro was so needy and whiney that even Kensei was surprised he didn't just forget the job and money and pop a d*** cap in the annoying b****'s head.

But he didn't. He tolerated and...and even liked her of all things! The very thought of him liking anybody, ESPECIALLY Princess Mashiro Kuna of Seiretei, baffled Kensei to no end. It was so strange and out of character for him and he didn't want to accept the fact that his heart was finally rebuilding itself so it could feel something other than locked away grief and outward, violent rage. But Mashiro, somehow, changed that. She changed everything.

o0o

There's a crash from down the hall and Kensei's eyes snap open, snatching his gun from under his pillow. Mashiro was sound asleep, clinging to Akina, so it wasn't her. S***. I wonder if they're here... Cautiously, Kensei cocked his pistol and crept down the hallway. A young man, barely in his 20's, maybe in his late teens, with shoulder length greasy black hair cursed quietly, glancing around. He had a white bandanna around his left eye, underneath the thin, greasy mop. His teeth were long and white and he had a lanky, snake like gate and appearance.

Well who the h*** is this mofo? Kensei asked himself silently, deciding not to give up his position just yet. He held his gun at the ready, though; just in case. If you think you're gonna' get Mashiro you're_ Kensei turned his attention away from the intruder as there's another crash and a muffled squeak.

Running silently, Kensei reached the threshold of his room, seeing a blond 12-year-old boy laying on the ground, a crooked nose gushing blood. Mashiro tugged a knife from her shoulder and Akina was buzzing angrily. Kensei yanked his tank top off, holding it to Mashiro's shoulder.

"What_" He growled as a gunshot rang out and his leg gave way, the back of his left thigh pouring blood. The blond kid held a gun to his face. Because of his adrenaline rush, Kensei didn't really feel the impact of the bullet in his leg; acting quickly, Kensei wrenched it from his grasp, breaking his arm and slamming his face into the metal bed frame before throwing him into the wall. Man...why the f*** should I have to do this to a kid?! What kind of sick b****** send kids these young on missions like these, anyway? Just ain't right!

"Kensei?!" Mashiro knelt by him, holding his bloodied tank top to his leg. Clumsy footsteps sound and Kensei turns, aiming his gun at the first intruder.

"Who the f*** are you?!" Kensei demanded. "Every answer I don't like or pause that lasts more than 15 seconds earns a gunshot to a nonvital area. I'll keep it up all night long until I'm satisfied."

"Nnoitra Jirga."

"Who sent you?"

"Sorry. Can't_"

Kensei shot his pinky finger. "Try again."

"I'm not going to_"

Ring finger. "Not good enough."

"B****_"

Middle finger. "Looks like you can't flip the bird with that hand anymore."

"WHY YOU_"

"Enough, Nnoitra. You are a fool." A youngish man with dark skin, sunglasses, and dreds appears beside Nnoitra. "I see that you have taken down Wonderweiss. Impressive. However, we will be leaving."

"Who the f*** are you people workin' for? You the boss?"

"I am not. I only seek justice within my master's power. You will have to look harder. We will harm you no more tonight. Nnoitra, gather Wonderweiss if you please. We shall take our leave now."

"Wait_" The room was enveloped in smoke. Mashiro and Kensei broke into fits of coughs, trying to clear their throats once the smoke dissipates. "D*****!" Kensei slammed his fist on the ground. His leg burned and Mashiro was beginning to tear up. She knelt by him, grabbing her scarf from the window sill, making a makeshift bandage around the bullet wound, binding it tightly.

"C'mon..." Kensei muttered, dragging himself to his feet, leaning all his weight on his good, right leg. "Gotta' get to the hospital."

"We're gonna' walk there? At night? In the dark? What if they get us?"

"I'll be prepared. Now come on, Mashiro. We can't just bleed out here."

"I'm not going out there in the streets in the dark! Bad things always happen!"

"D***** MASHIRO, DON'T ARGUE WITH ME RIGHT NOW!"

"But I'm scared!"

"We need medical attention! What if that knife was poisoned?"

"Well_"

"Drop it, Mashiro, we're going." Kensei grabbed a staff from his closet; a gift from his father before he died from a strange illness when Kensei was 10 and Shuuhei was 5.

"But_"

Kensei glared at her. "I don't know what your problem is, but d***** if you don't drop the f****** dramatics, I'm gonna' duck tape your mouth shut!"

Mashiro fell silent then, walking slightly behind him, Akina buzzing around between her and Kensei. As Kensei limped through the streets, leaning on the staff, he thought about Mashiro's insistance about not going out into the streets of Rugonkai in the dead of night. There had been legitamate fear in her eyes, but Kensei hadn't really acknowledged it until just then; when they were walking in almost complete silence.

Fear of the dark streets...Saying bad things always happen...tearing up when wonder-what's-his face attacked her...visits to a psychiatrist...constant accusations of perverts... Kensei stopped short, turning to Mashiro. "You were sexually abused at some point," Kensei stated, somewhat bluntly; even though he hadn't meant it to come out that way.

Her head snapped up, eyes widening. "How_"

"Mashiro..." Kensei's voice was much softer, and he wrapped his free arm around her slender shoulders, careful of her wound. "I'm sorry..." He muttered. "But right now, we need to get to the hospital; I won't let anything happen to you, okay? Neither will the bugzilla."

"Akina..." Mashiro sniffled with a pout. Kensei rolled his eyes, but he did so good naturedly. The sexual abuse would explain why she's so immature; it must've happened over a long period of time. Maybe by more than one person or someone she looked up to or trusted. I guess she tries to act happy and normal to lock it all away; along with the traumatization of losing her mother and father.

Kensei supposed that he should've guessed and acknowledged that Mashiro had her own ghosts and pains that she kept locked away under lock and key. But instead of turning to the enraged and cold shoulder approach to deal with it, she turned to the bright and charismatic approch to dealing with it. Looking at it that way, Kensei realized just how strong Mashiro was. She didn't acknowledge or dance with the dark side; she didn't curse at the storms or scorn those who scorned her. She embraced the light and danced in the rain; she playfully bickered with those who scorned her and laughed with those who didn't.

One lone, annoying woman is so much stronger than I, the seasoned warrior who was hired to protect her. Kensei saw Mashiro in a whole new light. He saw someone looking for love, affection, an escape from haunting memories...someone who didn't know how to show it or how to recognize it; either that or she had simply forgotten how, given the fact that she'd reverted back to a childish state.

Kensei and Mashiro were polar opposites, but he found that they were indeed kindred spirits. Traumatized, hurt, and...and afraid. Afraid to have it all done all over again. Afraid that another hard blow would shatter them and end everything. It wasn't a good place to be, Kensei knew. He wondered if he and Mashiro would be able to get out of it together; if this was their chance, right here, right now, to find another alternative than living alone and hurting.

"Kensei?"

"Yeah?"

"The hospital will help you first, right?"

"Mashiro_"

"I want Kensei to get help first, even if he is a meanie face...He's still hurt worse than me."

"Look_"

"Please, Kensei?"

"Alright..."

"YAY!" Mashiro hugged him, oddly careful of his leg. Kensei chuckled quietly, hugging her in return.

"Yeah..." He murmured. "Now let's keep moving before we lose too much blood..."

"'Kay..."

They walked in silence for a while. "Kensei?" Mashiro spoke up again.

"Yeah?"

"I'm hungry."

Kensei snorted, rolling his eyes. "Of course you are, Mashiro. Of course you are. We'll get something out of the vending machines for you."

"Thank you, Kensei!"

"Yup..."

A/N: This is gonna' be my last update for a few days. I'm going to San Antonio, but I'll be back on the 25th and I'll continue to write then. I hope y'all like this chapter and I'd appreciate any reviews. XD Oh, and as for the whole "sexual abuse making her act out immaturely" bit, I know someone personally who's gone through it and it affected her that way; it's actually a very common reaction, especially if it happens when someone is really young and it repeats over time, or if it's someone the victim trusts. I just wanted to clear that up in case anyone was confused.