Chapter 4: Time to Learn
I can't Brain today. I has the Dumb.
AN—by the way, for those of you geniuses who didn't know, I do not own Bleach.
History Lessons: Day 1
"Shinigami—usually referred to in the plural for—refers to Japanese gods of death. The term can be loosely applied, however, to any death deity, regardless of race. The term, though, is a recent one. It seems to have been carried over to Japan by westerners. The first mention of Shinigami, may indeed have been in a rakugo play titled Shinigami. This play was based on an Italian interpretation of a story by two people referred to as 'The brothers Grimm'."
The teacher was droning on about something, what Shunsui wasn't exactly sure though. He wasn't really paying that much attention. He was sitting directly behind Shimizu, with Ashido on one side of him, and Unohana on the other. Jushiro was next to Ashido.
The one phrase that stuck with Shunsui was the one about the Brothers Grimm. "So is the teacher suggesting that an association of dead people from Japan is based off a pair of lunatic Britts?" He murmured, pitching his voice so the no one would hear him but the people in the immediate vicinity.
Shimizu tilted her head ever so slightly in his direction. Not enough so that the teacher would see, but enough so that her words would carry to him "lunatic?" she whispered questioningly.
All the students round them were paying attention to them, totally ignoring the teacher. Well, that is, everyone but Ukitake. He was still studiously paying attention to the teacher.
"Well they're a pair of people who walk around making up horror stories, telling them to little kids, and then pretending to 'fight' the monsters that they were saying were about to attack the village, without actually knowing that the real monsters are sitting right next to them laughing to death." His ever so intelligent peers looked rather confused.
"Translation: they were trying to fight hollows without knowing they were there." He explained, feeling rather amused that he had to. After all, he'd come in at the bottom of the class.
Shimizu caught his gaze, rolled her eyes, and mouthed 'idiots' nodding her head gracefully in the direction of the rest of the class. Shunsui nodded over enthusiastically in return, causing her to giggle slightly. This, unfortunately, caught the attention of the teacher.
"Is something funny miss Kazuko?' he asked coldly. "I didn't realize that history was such an entertaining subject." Shimizu looked flustered, which, by the way, was a very good look for her in Shunsui's opinion.
"I, um well, see I—sorry sir" she stammered out.
"Very well. Make sure that this will not happen again." He said coldly. Then the bell rang. The kids poured out of the room, racing towards the large, empty training arena that was across the lawn. The man who'd shown them around the first day was standing there waiting for them.
"Everyone grab a training sword," he called, pointing at the large pile of wooden sticks. They promptly did so. "Good. Now, are any of you left handed? No? Good." He said, answering his own question, not giving the students any time to respond.
Retsu glanced at him sharply "Aren't you left-handed Shunsui?" she whispered questioningly.
"I'm ambidextrous, but I do normally use my left, yeah." He murmured back.
"Are we having fun with our private discussion miss?" snapped their instructor, showing up out of nowhere "Flirt on your own time, not mine. Now, everyone grab a partner," he shouted, again not giving anyone a chance to reply.
The best way to stay out of trouble with him Shunsui mused to himself is most likely just to keep your head down and nod whenever he stops talking. He looked around him for a partner, and found no one. Unohana and Shimizu had teamed up instantly, and Ashido was with one of his friends.
That left him with—"hey, Kyoraku! Will you be my partner?"— Ukitake.
Shunsui forced himself to turn around with a smile on his face. Appear kind and jovial, and maybe he won't bother me again. He told himself. Please please work.
"Are you alright Kyoraku? You look kinda like you're in pain" Ukitake said worriedly.
"No, no I'm fine" Shunsui assured him, dropping the smile. "Well I guess so, if there really isn't anone else that you'd rather be partners with?" he said, trailing off hopefully at the end. The kids popular right? There's gotta be someone else in the school he'd rather be with right? RIGHT???
"No, not really" Aw, shit.
"Well, I guess I've no choice—I mean, then sure. I'd love to be your partner." He muttered, highly annoyed.
"Take your places everyone!" the instructor called "Stand in front of each other in the ready position. Good, good. No, move your feet farther apart, Nice Ukitake! I can see you're a natural. And you, you're Kyoraku right? I heard about you. You came in at the very bottom of the class. Well, Kyoraku, you're doing it wrong. You put your hands like this and you place your feet like this and—there we go! Now you got it!" he cried, and continued among the other students of course, none of the other students were doing it wrong. Only Shunsui. Of course.
They were just about to be able to take a break when Ukitake collapsed. Shunsui had noticed that he'd been getting weaker as the days wore on, and had begun to lessen the force behind his blows also, which earned him a scolding for being 'to easily tired'. Shunsui'd taken the rebuke without a comment, earning him a grateful look from his gasping partner. Shunsui was—not that he'd ever admit it to anyone—a little bit worried about the kid.
He hadn't actually been expecting the kid to collapse though. He had no idea what to do. Holy fuck. The kid just collapsed? Why did he do that? He didn't seem like he was about to? I mean, sure he was getting weak, but not like he was about to faint. What do I do? Shit, I never learned CPR! Wait—Retsu mentioned that she knew basic nurse crap like that.
"Unohana! Get over here!" He shouted, getting worried. Ukitake was writhing on the ground, face twisted in pain. All of the other students were standing there, totally dumbstruck, with no idea what to do. "Where's the teacher Shunsui yelled at them, starting to freak out in earnest now.
"He said he was getting a drink. God Shunsui, what happened?" Shimizu gasped out, having run over to him with Retsu at her side. Unohana knelt down next him, placing her hand on his forehead.
"He's burning up I think he might have a—oh my god," she said her prim tone quickly turning to one of horror. He coughed again, blood flying out of his mouth, staining the sand red. Retsu's hands fluttered nervously, unsure of what to do. She placed her palms lightly on his chest, then began to press down.
Ukitake's breathing eased instantly, and though he coughed a few more times, his face had calmed down. He no longer looked like he was in pain. But there was something weird about it. "Umm……… Retsu? Do you know your hands are glowing?"
"Um… no. No, I didn't know that. Thanks. That's weird." She said, her eyes widening with surprise. She kept her hands where they were though. The light around her hands brightened as she took a deep breath, focusing all her strength on her palms.
Ukitake's breathing had completely calmed down now, he seemed pretty much normal. Unohana stood up looking relieved, and promptly fell down, unconscious. Shimizu screamed as Retsu fell. Shunsui stepped forward, grabbing her before she hit the ground.
The crowd gasped in surprise, and even Shimizu looked rather impressed at his reflexes. "I'm…… fine. Really. Just……………….tired." she gasped out, then sank into complete senselessness. It was, of course, that exact moment that the teacher chose to come running in, seeing Shunsui standing over two passed out students, with a girl standing next to him sobbing her heart out.
He assumed the worst. Running through the crowd, he reached Shunsui and promptly grabbed him, and shook him, none to gently. "What are you doing?" he roared, and then continued to shout without giving Shunsui time to protest.
"Unhand that woman! I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you, but I never thought that you'd take it out on your fellow students!" he then proceeded to through Shunsui across the room "Get out! Wait outside! I'll deal with you once I make sure that they're okay."
He turned to Shimizu, about to ask her if she was alright, but noticed the fact that everyone was glaring at him with pure hatred first. Shimizu looked like she was going to slap him, teacher or not. "He just saved those two's lives you mother fucking idiot!" she snarled at him. "It's thank to him that they're alive! Jesus."
The oh-so-intelligent teacher's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. Well that—that changes things doesn't it" he mused aloud. Shimizu just gave him another death glare.
The medics showed up shortly, taking both of the children promptly to the hospital wing. They assured the students that nothing was wrong that wouldn't heal in time, but they also mentioned that the quick thinking of Unohana and Kyoraku may well have been the only thing that saved Ukitake. Shunsui received a full apology from the teacher, but the damage had already been done. If the teachers were going to treat him like a slacker anyways, he might as well be one. There wasn't anything to lose. Right? Right.