Chapter 4, here it is!
In case it wasn't realized in previous chapters...
I DON'T OWN BLEACH. Just Sasu Ichijiku. Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo
Please enjoy!
Renji and Sasu quietly left the division office just as the sun was touching the edges of the court.
The 11th division could be heard clashing swords above the otherwise calm morning.
There was a subtle breeze winding it's way against the building, softly caressing Sasu's midnight black tresses and teasing Renji's violent red ponytail. Sasu carefully watched Renji as they walked down the boardwalk, looking for any hint of a desire for conversation. They didn't speak till they were quite a distance from the 6th division barracks.
Finally, Renji inclined his head toward her casually as they continued to walk.
"So....what division are you from? I'm assuming you didn't just graduate." He had already turned his focus forward again by the time he was done speaking.
Good thing too... Sasu turned such a deep shade of red, she was sure that he would feel the heat on her face before he even saw it.
"division 4." Sasu muttered more to herself than to him.
It was well known that the 4th division wasn't exactly a battle squad.
Renji didn't appear troubled by this news, and Sasu was grateful for that.
She knew some of the other division members might not seem that unconcerned about her previous squad, and might make assumptions about her level of skill.
Renji placed his connected hands on the back of his head as he walked.
"you sound ashamed of that..."
Sasu looked at him through the corner of her eyes, then continued to stare at the floor.
"maybe a little bit."
Renji stopped so suddenly that Sasu almost walked right into him.
He dropped his arms and glared at her hard, agitation evident on his face.
"Why?"
His simple question stung her.
She had nothing to say.
She just stared at the boards of the walkway.
"At least have enough respect for me to look at me when I'm talking to you."
Sasu looked up but was afraid of what she'd see.
She had never seen a look as intense as the one Renji possessed now.
She made to look away again but Renji was quicker.
Grabbing the front of her kimono, she thought he was about to strike her.
But he only spoke in an angry yet clearly controlled voice.
"Never be ashamed of who you were, who you are, or who you might become."
He released his hold on her uniform, and turned to continued to walk toward the training grounds.
He had gone only a few paces when he turned around again.
Sasu was looking directly at him.
Then she bowed.
Renji couldn't hide his surprise.
But by the time he tried to respond she was already a number of paces ahead of him.
Renji put a hand on his forehead and shook his head.
This is gonna be interesting.
They hadn't spoken since the incident back at the boardwalk, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Only a few of the other division 6 members were there, a few were sick, a couple out with injuries.
The present members watched the 11th division finish up their apparently grueling training. A few people had some deep wounds and one poor guy was screaming like his legs had been broken.
Sasu covered her mouth in horror but Renji just closed his eyes and shook his head.
"That's just how the 11th division is, they gotta get used to it." spoke a familiar voice.
Ikkaku stood there, covered in blood and a scattering of shallow wounds, Yumichika right behind him, mark less, of course. Yumichika brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes as he spoke.
"You shouldn't look so surprised, Jiku-chan, it's not very beautiful."
Sasu dropped her hands as she glared at Yumichika.
Renji cracked an evil half smile. "Jiku- chan?"
Ikkaku turned to his best friend, then vaguely pointing to Sasu, he asked "You know her?"
Yumichika nodded.
"She's the division 4's third seat."
both of them turned toward the two, with faces clearly wondering why they were down here, together, and almost alone.
"Was in the 4th division." corrected Sasu, half smiling before their minds could wander any further.
Renji nodded, "She's division 6's third seat now."
the other two were clearly disappointed for the lack of drama.
Kenpachi taisho's booming voice could be heard giving orders to the other members of the 11th squad, so Ikkaku and Yumichika bid them farewell and ran to catch up to their captain.
It was renji who spoke first.
"err... so why did he call you Jiku- chan anyway?...."
Sasu sighed and turned to watch the other members of her new squad arrive.
"my last name, Ichijiku, means fig tree, and Jiku, by it's self, means stem."
renji still looked clueless. Sasu felt a twinge of annoyance. Surely he wasn't blind?
"He's making a reference to my figure."
renji blushed so deeply his cheeks almost matched his hair.
Sasu sighed again and turned her full attention to the incoming members.