Bleach: Waves and Rapids

Part II: Shinigami Arc

Chapter 9: Beginner's Luck... Is a Hater

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and its characters, except for the OC's being introduced into the story. These characters (and Zanpakutō, if applicable) belong to me, and me only.

"Hey! Wake up!"

Someone was pounding on my door, but I couldn't recognize who. Brandon was attending classes at this time, and no one was this rough at the barracks. I only listened to the person pound on the door as I tried to get back to sleep.

"You goin' back to sleep, rookie?" the guy yelled. "Not on my watch!" He slammed against the door, but it held firm. I sighed as I got up and walked to a nearby window. With it being on my left and in front of the door, it would be perfect to show him what happens to people who try wake me up like this.

I opened the window.

Then, I walked to the door just as he tried to charge the door again. I changed into the Shinigami shihakusho before I braced myself against the door. I looked out the peephole. It was a large, fat Shinigami with a spiky protrusion of hair. He didn't seem like anyone in the Sixth Division. I then realized he was a lieutenant when I spotted the armband on his left arm.

"Here I come, rookie!" I saw him charge at the door again, but I swiftly opened the door.

What was funny was his face when I opened the door; a distraught face that was ready to scream. I mouthed the word "sayonara" as he stared at me before he sailed out the window and the ground was awarded with a crater.

And that only happens in anime, I thought to myself as tied Shionari to my sash. I casually looked out the door to see a girl, shorter than me, in a Captain's haori. She was scowling at the window with her arms crossed.

"Uhm," I said, "good morning, Captain..." I didn't know her name, but I had to respect her title even if she did look shorter than me.

"That's what you get for not knocking, Omaeda Marechiyo!" the girl hollered. "You get sent out of open windows to shut the hole in your face; the one you use for being loud and stuffing food into!" She cursed under her breath and glared at me. I was wondering what I had done before she sighed and managed a tender smile with a happy face. "Socrius Kai, hello. My name is Captain Soi Fon of the Second Division. Good morning to you too.

"Well, first of all, your package has arrived, but that isn't the case." She tapped at the tied box next to her foot which had my name printed on a mailing label. "We are here, as part of the Stealth Force, to organize Shinigami watchers to the World of the Living. We wish to have you watch over the town of Fremont, in California, in the United States of America, as the town's watcher. We suspected Hollow activity there because of the Menos incident a few months back. You are familiar, aren't you?"

Fremont; the city I grew up in. The city I went to practice Konsō. The city infested by Hollows. The city where my brother could get killed at any moment.

"You're sending me there?"

"To watch the premises, particularly the cemetery. Some souls are laid to rest there, but don't wish to leave their bodies. You are to go 're-bury' them and send them here. An easy task, I must say. Now with your Gigai, you can even camp out there to restore energy."

I nodded. "When do I leave?"

"Whenever you wish. Remember, mortals cannot see you unless you are in your Gigai, but be aware of the people whom see you in it. It embodies you, it mirrors you. Your friends and, most importantly, your brother, will become disbelieved if you were seen walking around in the market. That's why we recommend all Shinigami to carry a Kikanshinki with them at all times; so they can generate a random memory in a target's mind that you exist somehow."

"He might believe I didn't die?" I asked.

"Or maybe believe that it was a figment of his imagination that you died. But... we found proof of your death, so his going to the gravesite would be decimating to your shelter. Making him believe you are a different person would be best."

I nodded. "Thanks, Fon-taichō," I said.

"I'd rather be called by my full name after my title. It sounds much better." She walked out of my room, leaving me watch the Kanji of two on the back of her haori. She turned for a second. "Oh, and just a heads-up, the Ninth Division is responsible for security matters, within and outside Seireitei. I am just here on behalf of the Ninth Division Lieutenant." I remembered his name: Hisagi Shuhei. Then Soi Fon disappeared.

"I'm the watcher over my own hometown..." I sighed, walking over to the cage that housed my Jigokuchō. I gave it a few crumbles of butterfly feed which was quickly consumed. "Fremont, California. We're watching over the area."

Kuchiki-taichō did say to open the Senkaimon outside, the butterfly whispered to me.

"Right," I said. I started out the door, but I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Renji behind me.

"Abarai-fukutaichō?" I asked. "What is it?"

"You just got your Denreishinki, right?"

"Last night, what about it?"

"Install this into it," he said, giving me something that looked like an SD card. "This keeps track of how many Hollows you slayed and how many Konsō you performed. We have a scoreboard for all seated officers, except for the Captains and Lieutenants. Those people have accumulated more than several hundred thousands of kills and burials put together. Anyways, do your best!"

I thanked Renji before walking toward the stairs, where other Shinigami were busy conversing. I was going to say that being a Shinigami wasn't hard... or they just made it seem easy. However, none of them approached me... or so I thought.

Someone bumped into me, just as I was about to exit the barracks. I made a slight scowl, about to apologize before I heard a gruff voice, reminding me of a particular pseudo-jock at one of the schools I attended. "Watch where you're going, fat-ass."

My mind turned defensive as I heard those words. I turned to face the person. He was slightly taller, yet way fatter, than me. He may as well be older due of the outbreak of acne on his face. His face bore a disgusted expression at me, his glaring eyes hidden behind square, tinted glasses. A faded goatee dashed his chin area, and I could tell his hair had never met a comb in decades.

"What are you looking at?" he asked roughly.

"You, apparently," I said, trying to suppress my anger. Being around this guy was just making me angry – at least be a bit friendly when you want to meet someone. "Am I in your way?"

"Shit special treatment," he cursed at me, which flared my anger. "Thinking that you're always better because you're able to hang out with the captain and being that early graduate. All good shit, that's what I think."

I clenched my teeth behind my closed mouth. He was obviously goading me to hit him, and that's where he was succeeding. I felt my right arm twitch to grab Shionari and give him a lesson, but the Sixth Division rules stated: There shall be no Zanpakutō release unless given directive by Kuchiki-taichō. I instinctively grabbed my arm to prevent it from drifting to Shionari's hilt. Damn, this is like trying not to steal in Sixty-Eight! "I'm sorry I'm in your way. If you excuse me, I have a job to do." I turned and headed out of the barracks, his incessant yelling trailing after me.

"That's bad," said a Sixth Division member as I walked out of the barracks. "You got targeted by Tsubasa Daichi."

"What's with that guy anyway?" I asked a bit too harshly. Realizing it, I lowered my voice. "Sorry. Anyway, what's with him, and this 'special treatment' business?"

"He thinks it is more like a preference of Shinigami than overall skill, that you graduated early," the member said. "Seireitei Bulletin has all of its sights on you, every major article. Tsubasa is kinda raged that you have all the attention and the like. Not that he wants all the attention though, but he believes he is more than qualified than you in being the Sixth Seat."

"He's Seventh?" I asked.

"Yeah, 'was'... sad thing is that he used to be the Sixth until you came along and 'stole' it from him." The member shrugged. "He kinda says whatever's on his mind too. People call him mental, some call him confused. I dunno; he's just your average lazy person. No one has ever seen him do anything, and he probably hasn't killed a Hollow since two years ago. Either he doesn't give a crap or they're afraid of him."

I sighed. "Maybe I'll watch my back out for him and try to avoid him as much as possible."

"Dunno 'bout that, he has been able to track a different target to the ends of Seireitei. Found that poor soul hiding in the Senzaikyū, no pun intended." He scratched the back of his head and laughed.

"Thanks for the talk, but I have to get to my post in the World of the Living. Maybe we'll talk later?"

"I guess," he said. "Take care." He retreated back toward the barracks, and I unsheathed Shionari.

I unlocked a Senkaimon to Fremont, where the city was bathed in the evening sun. I set myself at the top of a telephone pole as I scanned the scenery. I spotted a few houses with their lights on, catching the silhouettes of people having their dinner. A man was walking his dog along the street, his head hunched down from the cold. A few pigeons had landed on the electrical wires next to me. Winter was always a depressing sight.

I sighed. It seemed like a few minutes ago that I felt happy, but now I felt sad returning to Fremont. I brought out my Denreishinki and started the installation with the memory unit Renji outfitted me with.

I put the phone away, then unsheathed Shionari. I tapped lightly on its blade and was awarded with a vibrating ring. I sat down on the telephone pole and set Shionari on my lap after finding a balance. I closed my eyes and sent my conscience toward the sword...

"Do you have a minute?" I asked.

I have all the time in this world, Shionari said from behind me. Is there something you wished to ask?

"Why did you choose me?" I asked. I saw the dragon flinch and an eye twitch. "I know it sounds like I'm rejecting you, but that wasn't what I meant. How do Zanpakutō choose their wielder?"

Shionari lifted his head. The waves here are calming, he said. Zanpakutō generally picture one's conscience in how they form their inner world. We lay dormant from the beginning, in any case when a soul learns of his or her spiritual attunement, and we awaken only when the soul learns of our existence and utter our name.

But an exception can come from some Zanpakutō. Like me, I am responsible for using my power outside your knowledge, or without your approval. But...your episode with the skink-Hollow threatened to cease your existence, until the sakura Shinigami saved you.

"And that I am grateful for. In fact, Kuchiki-taichō has taken me into his division."

Listening to your stray thoughts, I hear the Sixth Division is one that abides by the rules.

"It is. But the fact that I am unrebellious is a good thing."

I just suppose so. Shionari raised his head. Do you know the reason why I chose you? I shook my head. I had strayed from my own question. Do you see the waves here? They seem peaceful to me; they resemble how you are feeling. When in danger, this whole world becomes dark, and the waves grow. When you are sad, a light drizzle starts and the sea becomes slightly active. When you are happy, the sea is calm, and it feels warm here. I looked at the sea, which seemed like a summer vacation to the beach. It did seem peaceful. I sat on the edge of the island, noticing the waves weren't lapping against the island.

"What of other souls? Don't you picture their inner worlds the same as mine?"

Your world makes me feel warm. Content. Calm. Secure. At peace. It is a nice feeling, like I have found home.

"I'm glad you feel that way. I've always thought there was something wrong with my mind ever since I learned of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Lately, I've been having mood swings, and I don't know whether I'm bipolar or not."

What an irrational thing to say, Shionari commented. What makes you think that you have a mental or personality disorder?

"Maybe my sense of paranoia," I said. "I have this belief which states that I don't scare, I am paranoid." The waves suddenly grew, wetting my tabi. "That means I feel something, huh..."

You sense a Hollow, Shionari said. And it's coming your way!

I lifted Shionari from my lap and prepared for a confrontation. The air assumed an evil aura, even my vision seemed to slightly darken. The only possible thought that came to my head was that Nocturne was back, but I knew that Hollows don't regenerate until after a few years. This Hollow was different.

I stood up and looked at my Denreishinki. The icon that signified me, an arrowhead, was facing to the left, west, and a red dot was slowly making its way toward my direction... from behind!

I whipped my blade behind me to block a pair of talons, which were centimeters from my face. The Hollow, assuming the shape of a bird, had a mouth inside its beak, frantically trying to snap at my head. It vigorously flapped its wings to gain distance, and a breeze of wind made it surge forward.

I swung Shionari into its beak to cleave it right down the middle, but the blade was caught in the bird's beak. It dragged me off the pole, but my Reiryokucontrol allowed me to skid on the air as if it were the ground. I pushed against the bird Hollow and freed my sword, making a shallow gash in the bird's mask. It screeched before rising into the air and eying me intently.

I calmly raised a palm at the Hollow. "Hado Two, Hiku!" A turbulent wind surged toward me, pulling the Hollow along with it. Trees bent at the sudden wind movement. I raised my sword at the Hollow and watched the Hollow be driven into the blade. It shrieked once before it disintegrated into shiny gray dust and sparkles.

One, I thought. I looked around before lowering myself toward the ground. I noticed a few wayward souls wandering about. They seemed to stare at me as I passed, as well as eying my Zanpakutō. "… … Shinigami … …"

I didn't understand what was said in their whispers, but after catching the word "Shinigami," I knew they were talking about me. They were all picking at their respective Chains of Fate, until I walked to a fallen bottle with a rose next to it. A young girl, looking no older than eight, was hiding behind a telephone pole. Her Chain was short, only five links left. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Your chain," I said, "it gets very painful, doesn't it?"

She glanced at it and nodded slowly. I stepped forward and prepared to unsheathe Shionari, and she promptly cowered down, afraid. I grew puzzled as I looked around and saw older-looking souls stare at me. Well, drawing a sword does seem intimidating. I tried a different approach; I untied Shionari from my sash and lifted the hilt to the girl's forehead. There was a dim blue light at the end of the hilt. I tapped the girl's forehead as her eyes became glassy, then sunk in a radial, radiant, blue and white gradient.

The souls beamed at the ritual. One stepped forward and asked me, "Have you finally come to put us to rest?"

"I have," I replied, "if that is what you wanted."

They stared at each other, which resulted in a clamor around me, all of them screaming for a burial. I wonder if I had hit the jackpot for Konsō here.

I buried them as fast as I could, almost literally spinning to save time. But the souls kept pouring in, and I believed I spent too much time here. In the distance, I heard a shriek - that of a Hollow's. It was accompanied by the bloodcurdling cry of a man being decapitated. The souls all looked at me in confusion. I quickly buried a young kid before starting to Shunpo away, only to have the hem of my hakama be pulled back. "Don't go, Shinigami," they said, "bury me first!"

"Only about yourself..." I muttered, then launched off and the souls lost grip on me. I tied Shionari's sheath back onto my sash while Shunpo'ing toward a Menos Grande; Gillian-class. It turned to face me, releasing a blood-curdling roar that gave me a slight chill. A similar roar sounded from behind me.

"Two Gillians?" I asked. I wheeled around to see the Menos charge its Cero, aimed directly at me. I quickly shunpo'ed upward as the stream of energy streamed under me, and culminated in an explosion. Two Cero fired at me? I wondered. "Dammit...

"Rage," I said, drawing my Zanpakutō out, "Shionari!" My blade dissolved into streams of water, which surrounded my body with the twin vortices of water. I lifted Shionari's remaining hilt and declared, "Form One, Deluge."

The spiraling waves condensed into Shionari's form; a water-bodied serpent. It roared, but I could translate no words from it. I swung my empty hilt toward the first Menos and the water serpent followed suit and charged toward the Hollow. The Menos roared as the water dragon struck the Hollow through its chest area, and I felt a rise in my Reiatsu, although it seemed to drain as well. Is there a way to stop the draining effect? I wondered. I doubted that Hollow Reiryoku was compatible with Shinigami Reiryoku.

I turned my Zanpakutō hilt sideways, and applied my Reiryoku into my hilt. A sphere of energy formed at the water dragon's maw, steadily increasing in power. I released the energy, and the sphere zoomed toward the target Hollow. The Gillian roared once before succumbing to the waves and disappeared.

I turned toward the other Menos Grande, only to see red covering my entire field of vision. I had no time to react to the fully charged Cero, and I was blasted away, unable to move. I crashed into a building, which I found myself sitting among bits of glass and plaster, and the ruins of three office desks and computers. Fresh wounds covered my arms and left cheek. I tried to heal myself with a Kidō spell, but I was too tired to move. The Gillian Menos landed in front of the hole it made, charging up another Cero. A high-pitched noise filled the air.

"So this is how it ends..." I asked. "I was able to take on a Gillian with an Asauchi, but I can't take two with a Zanpakutō in its Shikai state... how bad. I'm guessing this is how it feels when LagTV says 'sour about life'!" I closed my eyes as the Cero squeal became so high it was nearly inaudible, then a wave of reiatsu entered the atmosphere. Someone came to save me! But this signature, it wasn't Byakuya's. It belonged to someone else, but who?

A dragon made of ice soared past the Gillian Menos, encasing it in a prison of ice. The Cero grew smaller, then exploded in the ice shell, vaporizing the Hollow's own head. "Don't mention it," said a voice. I looked up to see a kid, probably only twelve years old. In addition, white hair and a Captain's haori indicated who had saved me.

"Hitsugaya-taichō!" I said, relieved. "Thank you for saving me."

"Don't mention it," he repeated, somewhat annoyed. "Besides, I don't know what Hyōrinmaru was experiencing but he started having earthquakes in his inner world. I followed a Reiatsu trail here." Tōshirō sheathed his Zanpakutō, and the Gillian immediately shattered. "Were you responsible for that?"

"I find a water source and channel my power through it..." No way, he couldn't have...

"I don't know," I said. I noticed the ice fragments of the Gillian clump together together and, almost like clay being molded with invisible hands, mold into my Zanpakutō; a straight, three-foot long blade with cyan hilt wrapping.

"Socrius Kai...?" Tōshirō said. "You summoned a Menos? How is that even possible?"

"I think I angered those souls too much," I said sheepishly. "I don't even know how it happened myself. All I knew was that I was burying souls, left and right. When I left the souls behind, there was that Hollow."

Tōshirō huffed. "Anyways, Kuchiki-taichō was wondering where you had been. He didn't expect you to be out for so long. Don't know what is up with that man, but it appears as though he's gotten soft."

I took in a deep breath and pulled myself up. "Has he been more cold-hearted than this?"

"No, it's that Kuchiki-taichō used to be more... apathetic toward subordinate Shinigami. But he's started lowering those walls of his." Hitsugaya looked at me. "He's seen favor in you, Socrius."

Tōshirō opened up a Senkaimon, a butterfly slowly flapping out and landing on Tōshirō's hand. Just as Izuru said; a redwing. My own Jigokuchō flew from outside and landed on my shoulder. The light enveloped me as I walked into the Senkaimon.

"Socrius Kai!" I was called to meet the First Captain, Head-Captain Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. Hitsugaya commented that the report was grave, and that I was going to be punished. Byakuya was with Yamamoto-sotaichō when the news arrived.

I bore a stoic expression, a face that showed no emotion. In the World of the Living, someone described it as The Void of Emotion; I kind of liked the term. But I didn't have the position to laugh; I was in because of an infraction. Upon entering the room, I lowered myself on one knee in front of Yamamoto and bowed my head. I tried not to look into any of the Captain's faces as I entered, especially Byakuya's.

"Socrius Kai," Yamamoto said, "do you realize what you have done?"

"No, sir. I was told that I was being punished, although I do not know any details." I needed to sound as if I was typing an essay, no contractions and to the point.

"You have endangered our war against the Hollows. Not only are you powerful to attract spirits; albeit a good trait; but you can send them into a Hollific frenzy, even causing them to mass up a Menos Grande. Do you realize the damage you caused, and will cause, in the World of the Living?

"You turn potential Shinigami warrior for our side into enemy Hollows. Because of that, hundreds of souls are lost because of this reckless action. Because of this, Socrius Kai, I demote you from your Sixth seat position to Seventh seat of the Sixth Division. In addition, you will be removed from your position as watcher of Fremont, California of the World of the Living!"

The punishment rocked my arms, causing me to become unsteady for a second. I dipped my head lower when I caught myself and softly said, "Yes, Yamamoto-sotaichō." With my head still bowed, I rose to my feet and walked out of the room.

"Nice subordinate you got there," Kenpachi told Byakuya. He said nothing.

"Hush, Zaraki-taichō," said a woman's voice, which was probably Unohana-taichō. "Kuchiki-taichō has gone through a lot today." Zaraki scoffed at the woman's words. I stopped in the hallway, just barely able to hear their voices.

"Old-man Yamamoto's mad, eh?" asked Kyoraku Shunsui, Captain of the Eighth Division.

"He didn't open his eyes," said Ukitake Jushirō, Captain of the Thirteenth Division. "He is not that mad at the boy."

"He isn't," said Tōshirō, "he was angrier at me when I created a Menos too. Of course, I had to deal with it myself."

"Hitsugaya-taichō," Byakuya said, "there is no need to compare the two of you. The past is the past, and Socrius-kun will get over it eventually."

"Ha! Showin' his soft side now!" Kenpachi laughed. I felt my fist clench as I heard footsteps coming out of the room. I felt eyes bore into my back, just standing there.

"Socrius..." Byakuya said, his voice steady, though starting to trail off.

"He's heard everything," Unohana-taichō said. "This is worse than just hearing his corrections."

I heard a pair of footsteps approach me, and a hand rest on my shoulder. "Socrius-kun," I heard Byakuya say, "return to the barracks. You should rest for tomorrow."

Soft! I scorned Zaraki's words. "No longer am I worthy to be part of your Division, Kuchiki-taichō. Look, I don't deserve; I did not know the rules, and I... I could have given up the war with that..." I felt tears well up in my eyes, as well as my voice cracking. "I don't deserve to be Shinigami anymore!" Byakuya tightened his grip on me, probably to comfort me, but I brushed him off and jumped into the night sky.

"Socrius!" I shunpo'ed away, away from the First Division Barracks and Senzaikyū Dammit! I shunpo'ed away, over the roofs of the Sixth Division. Dammit! I shunpo'ed once more, over the sekkiseki walls. Dammit! I landed on the other side of the wall, crouching as my feet touched ground, then broke off running. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! I was tired, and my legs screamed for rest, but I kept going. Away.

I stopped when I reached the river. There I sat down on a rock near the stream and stared at my reflection. "What did I do to deserve this?" I asked. I said no more as I buried my head in my arms.

Alone time. That was what I needed.