The walk back to the barracks of her squad was certainly helpful and relaxing for Miyuki, especially while she was in the company of Yukie. Not only did she feel more awake than ever before – the tea certainly helped quite a bit – but she did not have to walk all the way back by herself. Even though she had no issues with walking on her own in the past, she greatly preferred being in the company of someone she could speak with rather than being alone since it made the time go by much faster for her. Not only that, but it had been quite some time since Miyuki had seen Yukie when she was not working. Being the workaholic that she tended to be sometimes, it was difficult to even pull Yukie aside for a moment without her worrying about getting straight back to work. Even on a day like today, when she was having a day off, she was ready to walk back to work had it not been for Miyuki accidentally frightening her. Nevertheless, being in her company was a pleasant – and rather unexpected – chance of events.
As the two walked together, they kept themselves occupied with some chit chat, conversing about different topics that came to mind as a means of passing the time. Whether it was about something they had seen or something they remembered from the past, it was something rather than silence, though a comfortable silence did take over a few times during the walk. Fortunately, it was because of this that they had reached the Squad Eleven barracks much sooner than they had anticipated, or at least it certainly felt that way, and they spent the last few minutes reaching the dojo. Miyuki was expecting the others to be there, and it was not long before she was able to catch their scent to know she was right. Yukie did not bother asking Miyuki why, and she merely accepted it. They knew their comrades well enough to assume otherwise, especially when one of those comrades enjoyed picking fights with others just for fun.
As they approached the door, Miyuki could hear the growing sounds of wooden swords clashing against one another moments before a few thuds erupted. Hearing them made her realize two things: Ikkaku was, yet again, picking fights as she and Yukie anticipated, and Miyuki was unsure if she had returned her bandana back to her head before leaving Yukie's home.
Upon that realization, Miyuki's hand suddenly fell against her head, patting it a few times to double check that her ears were hidden. Yukie looked over to notice her panicked expression, and she could not help but smile at the sight.
"Did you forget that you put it on before we left?" She asked with a light giggle.
Miyuki's gaze shifted as she blushed in embarrassment, returning her hand to her side once again.
"N-no..." She mumbled. "I-I just wanted to make sure it was secure since I could hear Ikkaku fighting in there."
Yukie's smile grew a bit; she knew it was a lie, but she decided against pointing that out. Better to not make her feel even more embarrassed than she already was.
"Ah, that's understandable," she said as she stopped in front of the door. "Well, we've arrived, so I guess we should go in and watch, right?"
Miyuki stopped to stand next to her, stealing a glance in her direction, before nodding in response. With a nod of her own, Yukie slid open the door and allowed Miyuki to enter first before following suit.
As they entered and shut the door behind them, they came to the realization that, not to their surprise, the fighting had ceased. Ikkaku, as usual, was the only one standing above the rest, a cold look in his eyes as he stared down the crowd that had formed around him. Some of his opponents that had fought him had been knocked unconscious and dragged back into the crowd while others had crawled away from him, praying that he would not go after them next. Looking at many of the members carefully, Miyuki could see that many of the men that stood nearby had been covered in bruises, appearing as if they had taken quite the beating from the Third Seat. The ones that appeared unscathed seemed to have fearful looks in their eyes, shaking like leaves that were ready to fall in autumn, as they stared at the menacing form of Ikkaku, who eyed them coldly. As expected, he did not appear to have a scratch on him, and it was only a matter of time before he smirked triumphantly.
"What's the matter, boys?" He asked out loud, causing the uninjured members to quiver even more. It was obvious he was referring to them. "Afraid to get the same treatment as your friends? What kind of reapers are you if you're scared to get a few bumps and bruises along the way?"
Miyuki blinked before stealing a glance at Yukie, smiling as she noticed the faint blush on the dark haired maiden's pale cheeks. Evidently, it came as no surprise that, despite Ikkaku's cockiness, Yukie was pleased to see that he was having fun. However, Miyuki did not stare for very long as looked back at the scene again, and it was not long before her attention was grabbed by another friend in the room.
"Look at what you did, Ikkaku," whined Akemi. Miyuki and Yukie looked in her direction, spotting her standing near Yumichika while she waved a hand at Ikkaku. "You scared the daylights out of them! I told you this was bound to happen at some point if you kept it up long enough."
Ikkaku sent a blank look into Akemi's direction, oblivious to Yumichika gesturing the two women to come closer.
"Hey, it's not my fault they dropped off a bunch of chickens to our squad!" He told her. "I try to get them into shape, and they just cower away with their tails between their legs!" He glared at the rest of the members. "Just look at them. They're all pathetic if you ask me."
Akemi sighed before glancing at Miyuki and Yukie as they approached. She was quick to flash a small smile at them, pleased to see they had arrived, but the smile suddenly vanished as her expression changed to one of realization. Miyuki blinked and stared at her curiously. It looked as if an idea had popped into Akemi's head, and this was only confirmed when Akemi looked back at Ikkaku.
"Then why don't you fight someone that'll put up a decent fight?" She suggested to him. Her words piqued his interest as he looked at her again, raising a questioning brow. "Don't get me wrong," she continued nonchalantly as she shrugged, "these guys are certainly here for a reason. But if you want a powerful opponent, none of them are gonna be as tough as, say," She smirked devilishly, "a seated officer." Ikkaku continued to look at her with interest along with the others, though silence remained in the room. When she realized this, she dropped her hands to her sides and let out a huff. "So, why don't you try fighting someone that is seated rather than someone fresh from the academy?"
Ikkaku immediately smirked at that, placing the wooden sword against his shoulder casually.
"So, how about you and I go at it and show them how it's done?" He offered. "It's been a long time since we've had a good fight. And you are a seated officer, after all."
As tempting as the offer was, to his surprise and the surprise of her comrades, Akemi shook her head and denied the request.
"Oddly enough," she answered coolly, "I'm not in the mood to fight today."
The response caused Ikkaku to stare at her in surprise for a moment before glaring.
"If you're not gonna fight, then why even make the suggestion?!" He snapped frustratedly. "I was sure you were hinting at yourself when you brought it up, so what gives?"
Akemi shrugged casually and answered, "I'm just not in the mood today. I'd much rather be a bystander than a fighter today."
With an annoyed huff, Ikkaku looked away.
"Well, then who would you rather I'd fight against?" He questioned, trying to calm himself down. "There's only three others to pick from, as far as I can see. And I'm looking at them."
It was at that moment that a devious look formed in Akemi's eyes as she grinned. Moments later, her eyes slowly shifted over to look at Miyuki, who shrank back and shuttered at the sight. An uneasy feeling began to form in her stomach the longer she continued to look into Akemi's eyes. She hated that look; it meant Akemi was up to no good, and no good was what she was planning.
Before Miyuki could ask anything or make a comment, Akemi reached over to her, grabbing her by the front of her uniform, and shoved her to the front. The action caused Miyuki yelp in surprise and trip over her feet, colliding with the floor face first with a loud thud. She heard the other reapers that presided begin muttering under their breaths as she slowly began to return to her feet, rubbing her face and nose along the way to make sure nothing was broken.
"Miyuki, are you okay?!" Yukie called to her. Miyuki did not respond to the question, a bit dazed over the abrupt action and worried about breaking something, though she was fortunate to learn that it was not the case. "Akemi, why did you do that? She could have gotten hurt!"
"That was a bit harsh, Akemi," Yumichika commented as well. "You could've just said her name."
"Oh, she'll be okay! She's a tough cookie, after all," Akemi assured her while Miyuki began to stand. "Besides," Miyuki could almost sense the grin that grew on Akemi's face, "I don't think I've ever seen a fight between Ikkaku and Miyuki, so I think today's the day we change that!"
Horror struck her like a ton of bricks as Miyuki spun around to look at her, amber eyes widening as she began to pale.
"W-wait, what?!" She exclaimed frantically. "Y-you can't be serious!"
"Huh, I guess you're right about that one, Akemi..." Ikkaku could not help but mutter. Miyuki glanced over her shoulder, noticing the wide grin Ikkaku's face as well. "I don't think we've ever had a decent match against each other, Miyuki. Maybe today's the day we change that."
Miyuki began to panic at those words even more than before.
Were they out of their minds? Did they forget that Miyuki was three seats beneath Ikkaku, or was today the day they decided to toss their sanity out the window and just let loose? The sheer thought of her fighting someone as powerful as Ikkaku was one that never crossed her mind. She knew better than to think she could win in a fight against him. He was much stronger than she was, and she could only imagine his speed if he was placed as a third seat. From what she learned from Yumichika, he was powerful enough to become a lieutenant, maybe even a captain, if he was not so loyal to Kenpachi. Hearing those stories and how his love for fighting far surpassed her own made her shiver in fear just thinking about it.
That being said, Akemi had to know that fact all too well. She was the Fourth Seat, after all, only a seat beneath Ikkaku. That said, why decide to pit a Sixth Seat against a Third? It made no sense, and Miyuki was not going to settle for it.
"W-w-wait just a second here!" She exclaimed, turning to Akemi once again. "I-I can't take on the Third Seat, Akemi! Especially not someone like Ikkaku!" Miyuki began waving her arms in front of her frantically. "I'm three seats lower than him! He'll destroy me!"
Akemi looked at her with indifference.
"It's not like you're fighting to kill each other, Miyuki," she pointed out, ignoring the cocky grin that formed on the Third Seat's face while Miyuki stopped waving her arms. "You're fighting just for fun. Nothing more, nothing less." She paused briefly. "Or at the very least, to see how long you can last."
Yumichika glanced at Akemi, furrowing his brows.
"You say that as if you know she'll lose," he stated.
Akemi looked at him plainly and responded, "Oh, of course. Miyuki will most definitely lose to Ikkaku. No doubt about that." Yumichika rolled his eyes while Miyuki whimpered in fear. Yukie pouted at her words, but she could not find the right words to say as Akemi continued. "But, just because we know she'll lose doesn't mean she won't put up a good fight along the way. We're all aware she's much tougher than she looks, so maybe I'll be proven wrong!"
Miyuki groaned.
"This sounds like a terrible idea, Akemi," she whined. "I have nothing against Ikkaku or this idea, but wouldn't it be better to have him fight someone that will put up a fight? You know, someone who isn't-"
Within seconds, Miyuki was silenced by the suddenly cold glare that Akemi had sent her way, staring her down as if the fox girl had committed the most unforgivable crime. The sight alone was enough to keep Miyuki silent, staring back at her with a look of fear.
No matter how mischievous or childlike she became on a daily basis, no matter how often she poked fun at people for the sake of having a good time, staring into the cold and menacing crimson eyes of Akemi Saitou was, by far, a terrifying thing to witness. Even the strongest of fighters was put off by her stare. Seeing Akemi angry for any reason that was not joking was the one thing Miyuki always strived to avoid at all costs. She was always cautious with what she said and being careful with what she talked about in front of her. Even gazing into her eyes now sent a shiver down her spine, making every hair on the back of her neck stand up straight. Miyuki recalled there were very few things that really pushed Akemi's buttons and upset her, buttons that normally would have no effect on her unless they were pushed just enough to reach her breaking point. At least, that was what she remembered from what Yumichika told her. Some days, it would take a little while before she snapped, while other triggers set her off instantly and without any warning. It was not until the person felt her eyes boring into the back of their head that they would realize they had gone too far.
Unfortunately, for Miyuki, it appeared as if today was the day for her to witness it, and she knew the reason why: Akemi hated when Miyuki put down herself down, especially when it came to her strength.
Despite wanting to plead further, Miyuki sighed in defeat, slumping her shoulders in the process.
"Ugh, all right," she grumbled. "I'll do it."
As soon as she said those words, Akemi almost immediately grinned happily and cheered, pushing herself away from the wall and leaving Yumichika and Yukie to stare in surprise over what they had witnessed.
"Now, that's more like it!" She chirped, turning Miyuki around and pushing her forward gleefully. "Keep your eyes open and pay attention, boys! You're about to see a real fight take place!" Miyuki wanted to speak in protest again, but remembering the look Akemi sent her forced her to keep quiet. Reaching the center of the group, Akemi looked over at Ikkaku and caught the wooden sword he had tossed in her direction before looking back at Miyuki. "It's nothing serious, Miyuki." She assured her. "Just have fun with it. Like I said, this isn't a death match, so you have nothing to worry about. Okay?"
With a pat on her shoulder, Akemi stepped away and gave Ikkaku the thumbs up for the fight to begin. The murmuring seemed to grow louder as Miyuki and Ikkaku stood there, staring one another down with differing expressions. Ikkaku appeared to have a look of confidence in his eyes while Miyuki still remained hesitant. She was still worried about fighting him, knowing that the loss would be embarrassing for her, especially when there were so many eyes that were there to witness it. The idea of failing in front of them, as a seated officer, made her start trembling.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Miyuki unconsciously turned her head, looking passed Akemi and the men that stood nearby. Her gaze eventually fell upon Yumichika and Yukie, who merely watched from the background and avoided the crowd. Yumichika's expression appeared to be blank, yet he was looking directly at her. Yukie, on the other hand, seemed to be deeply concerned over what was happening, yet she remained rooted to her spot. Miyuki was unsure as to why she felt the need to look at them as it seemed to do nothing to ease her tense mind, though she made an attempt at putting on a smile as a means to assure them that she was all right with what was going to happen.
If only she was not acutely aware of the fact that they knew she was lying...
"Better keep your focus on the fight!" The familiar voice of Ikkaku shouted at her, grabbing Miyuki's attention. With her smile fading, her gaze shot back toward the Third Seat, who was now running toward her with his weapon in hand. "Don't want you getting hurt because you were distracted!" He went on as he raised his sword in the air and brought it down on her.
Miyuki merely blinked in response and inhaled. The fight was beginning, and she only needed a moment to react.
A sense of shock swept through the room as Miyuki swiftly and easily dodged Ikkaku's attack, stepping to the side just seconds before the wooden sword could strike her. The movement was quick, almost on par with a simple flash step, and it left Ikkaku shocked at how fast she dodged. The look of shock instantly contorted to one of pain as, without missing a beat, Miyuki swung her sword and slammed it into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, before taking a few steps away and turning to face him again. She watched intently as Ikkaku caught himself with his sword, keeping himself off the ground while taking a moment to catch his breath. There may not have been a lot of strength behind the strike, but the speed in which she attacked was something he did not expect from someone like her.
Feeling pleased with what she had done, Miyuki could not help but grin triumphantly.
"Trust me, Ikkaku," she spoke moments before the Third Seat shot a glare in her direction. "I learned my lesson the first time. Don't expect me to make the same mistake twice."
It was at that moment that Ikkaku began smirking as he returned to his feet and faced her, his weapon held tightly in his hands.
"About time you had that look in your eyes. I was waiting for it," the Third Seat commented as Miyuki prepared herself for another attack. "Now I know this will be a fun match."
Miyuki chuckled.
"Indeed, it will," she responded just as Ikkaku lunged at her again. "Indeed, it will."
