…Peaceful Green Love…
Chapter 4: Undokai
The sunrise from the east, the early morning sun created spectacular varies of colors in the sky. The Seireitai turned into track fields; white markings are almost everywhere.
Team Members:
Red: Zaraki & Kira
Orange: Kuchiki & Ohmaeda
Yellow: Kyoraku & Matsumoto
Green: Soi Fong & Kusajishi
Blue: Kunogi & Aotsuki
Violet: Unohana & Hisagi
Indigo: Komamura & Isane
Pink: Hitsugaya & Hinamori
Brown: Ukitake & Iba
Black: Ichimaru & Ise
White: Rokuda & Abarai
First course: Shunpo race
The contestants line in their position as the sun continues to rise. With a single signal, captains disappear from our sight.
The racecourse is to run the whole seireitai. Each team has a small color-coded baton. At some point, the first batch passes the baton to the next batch, a total of 5 passing.
All of the first batch contestants are captains. The leading runners are Kuchiki and Zaraki. All the rest are racing over the 3rd places.
"This is a piece of cake!" said Zaraki. Now, he's leading the race… Kuchiki is no longer behind him. It seems like Kuchiki is tired and Zaraki was able to maintain his pace. However, the reason why he thinks he's the leading contestant is because he's off track. From this point, it's impossible for Red team to win… Sorry.
Since Zaraki is off track, Kuchiki leads the way.
The lazy captain Kyoraku seems to drift off his pace. "That Yama-jii… Why do I have to participate on these games? It's so troublesome."
Soi Fong increases her speed. She manages to catch up Kuchiki. 'With this speed, I could win and gain Yoruichi-sama's love!' This thought motivates her but Kuchiki is still fast enough not for her to be the lead.
Kunogi runs behind Soi Fong. With such small body, she could somehow manage to catch up the two leading captains.
Unohana could barely run ahead Kyoraku. It's her full-speed; however, if Kyoraku have motivation to go faster then she will end up being the last.
Komamura runs ahead of Kyoraku. With such huge body, he is at disadvantage.
Hitsugaya goes neck-to-neck with Kunogi. Their speed is not much difference and it doesn't even have changes of the slightest in who's the leading. Since they are in the same level of speed, it seems that Hitsugaya is distracted by Kunogi's worthless encouragement or teases. She even asks Hitsugaya what kind of pastry she's going to make next time.
'That Midori… you're supposed to be concentrating this race instead of thinking other things!' Hitsugaya either is not concentrating.
Ukitake's condition is well. His body could run more than Unohana but less than Kunogi's and Hitsugaya's speed.
Ichimaru runs in a constant pace and continues to run in the middle of everyone. Whenever there's someone is going pass him or going behind him, he greets them a "Hello! Today's weather is nice, isn't?"
Rokuda goes on an undefined speed. She sometimes could go as far as few centimeters behind Soi Fong but sometimes she goes far behind as Ukitake. When she comes near Hitsugaya and Kunogi, she gets involved at Kunogi's senseless distractions.
Here they come, the passing of the baton to the next player. Kuchiki made the first pass followed by Soi Fong. Rokuda at this point follows the third place. Kunogi manages to get the fourth place. Hitsugaya takes the fifth in a fraction of a time after Kunogi. Ichimaru passes his baton before Ukitake could. Ukitake passes his baton a second after Ichimaru. Unohana passes hers right after Ukitake. Lastly, Zaraki, but he's too far from the racetrack.
Second runners in the race are depending on the team's choice. In the Orange team, Kuchiki passed his baton to Ohmaeda. Soi Fong passed hers to Kusajishi. Rokuda hands over her baton to a 4th seat officer. Kunogi passed hers to a 3rd seat officer. Hitsugaya used his full speed to pass his baton to Hinamori. Ichimaru gives his to Ise with a smile. Iba grabs Ukitake's baton full of force. Unohana uses her last strength to give hers to Hisagi. Komamura manages to pass his to Isane just right after Unohana passes hers. Kyoraku lazily passed his baton to Matsumoto; Matsumoto quickly grabs the baton. Last again, Zaraki still haven't returned back to the track, couldn't give his to Kira.
"Zaraki taichou? Where are you?!" panicked Kira. Everyone except his team, were able to go on the race. Kira couldn't run without the baton. Wonder where's Zaraki…
-Flash back-
"You're the last to run, Aotsuki." Said Kunogi.
"Why am I last? I am supposed to be the…"
"Aotsuki, just do what I said." Ordered Kunogi.
"Why should I?!" opposed Aotsuki.
Kunogi answers Aotsuki's question. "Because all captains are supposed to be running first. I don't want you to be the second runner because I hate you. Simple, isn't?"
Aotsuki grins. "Fine! Anyway, I don't want Kunogi taichou-san to pass me the baton!" said Aotsuki in a very annoyed expression.
-End of flash back-
The captain race is over, passing it to their subordinates… exception of Red team of course. The captains take break and chats with each other of their feelings about the Undokai.
"Ah…ah!" Kunogi stretches her arms up. "My part is already done."
"Well, the race is not yet done so don't relax." Said Rokuda.
"Murasaki is right. We just have to go back to the starting line and watch who's coming first." Said Hitsugaya.
"Oh yeah… we have to go back to the starting point." Kunogi starts walking.
"Only you two's teams' second runners are not vice-captain. Could you explain?" asked Hitsugaya.
"Because I hate Aotsuki." Simply said Kunogi.
"Is that a reason? In Midori's case then I will do the same. How I hate that girl." Rokuda follows Kunogi. "Well, in my case, it's a strategy. It's the last who's going to the finish line so I want Abarai to give his best shot in winning."
"Whoa! Strategy? I never thought of it. In any case it depends on the members, right? If someone goes first now then later to the next person is slower than the first then it's still the same if you reverse their order." Kunogi thinks, "Thinking of strategy… from my explanation a while ago, my strategy is just motivation. If I made Aotsuki the second runner then her mood will be ruined." Smiles Kunogi.
"You just thought it now? It makes sense to put Aotsuki not in the second runner. But that's just your case." Said Rokuda.
"So it is the battle of strategies then. I put Hinamori in the second is nothing really special. I put Komuda in the in the last because he's the fastest runner." Said Hitsugaya.
Rokuda takes interest on the subject. "Komuda? Ah, the 3rd seat of the 6th division. I know him. As you said, he's fast."
Kunogi swings her arms, "I wonder whose team is going to win…"
"That is a surprise to be awaited." Said Rokuda in a rare happy tone.
The end is near. The sun is continuing to sink to the west. It takes 10 hours to travel with shinpo the whole Seireitai. From the starting point, the runners are not yet visible.
In a minute or so, five runners are visible. The leading team is Blue but neck-to-neck with the Green team. The last runner of Blue team is Yamada while the Green team is a 10th seat. They are about to finish the race.
From the finish line, Kunogi cheers Yamada to go faster. "HANA-KUN!!!"
'Midori-chan… Gambarimas!' Yamada, with Kunogi cheering for him, tries his best to go faster.
The victory is his! Just a few more steps! The finish line is jus in front of him…
Swoop!
"The victory goes to the White team!!!" said Yamamoto.
-Flash back in slow motion-
Yamada is about to win… He's winning; however, Abarai caught up.
'Abarai fuku-taichou?! Oh-no! Just a few more steps!' Yamada does his best.
Running beside Abarai is the Pink team's 4th seat runner. With Abarai's superb pace, he can easily catch up the 4th seat and the 7th seat Yamada.
-End of flash back-
It's just that Abarai first stepped the finish line a fraction of a time before Yamada. 2nd place goes to the Blue team then the 3rd goes to the Pink team. The Green team comes next.
Soon after the four teams stepped the finish line, coming next is the black team. In a few moments the only team that hasn't finished the race is the red team. Zaraki haven't come back to the racetrack.
The list of winners:
1st: White team
2nd: Blue team
3rd: Pink team
4th: Green team
5th: Black team
6th: Yellow team
7th: Brown team
8th: Violet team
9th: Indigo team
10th: Orange team
11th: none (supposed to be for the Red team but since the Red team haven't finished the race, it remains blank.)
In the west gate, Kira still stands straight on his position. "Zaraki taichou…" murmured Kira. He's in a depressed state.
Poor Kira fuku-taichou... Undokai is not yet done! OTANOSHIMI NI!