FLUMEN OF LACRIMA I: INCREMENTUM
~11~
"The Evaluation"
She could feel it, something walking through her mind, trying to reach her. She could sense it, hear it move, and wanted to grasp it but it was just out of—
There was a low hiss reverberating in her mind. Her skin crawled.
It was intimidating but she knew exactly who it was, what it was moving about in her mind. She could still feel her Captain watching her, almost, even though he was not there anymore. He had left her hours before, leaving her in this meditative state when she had practically crawled to him in the middle of the night thirteen days ago, sweat dripping from her chin like a tap was left on. She had dreams that left her restless; someone moving in and out of focus with no discernable features.
He had taken her in, bringing her temperature down with a wet cloth on her forehead, taking care of her as he explained in a calm voice to just listen to the whispering vocals thundering in her mind as she slept. He told her that it was the Spirit trying to reach her, and all she had to do was listen, but he did not say anymore to help her—the prude.
He showed her Jinzen and stood watching over her for a few hours. Sakura barely even noticed him leave when he did, but, even gone, she pretended he was still there. It made her feel determination to reach the key, so to speak.
Another hiss—no... it was a soft growl.
Sakura's breath hitched, her upper lip pulled back to bare her teeth.
This Spirit was evasive, almost as if it was testing her.
She continued to search for the presence in her musky caverns of her mind. Sakura swore this wasn't what her mind truly looked like if she ever visited it; dark, murky, damp—like a cave. She unknowingly tilted her head in reality when she realised that maybe this was the home of the Spirit.
Clever, child.
Sakura gasped softly, halting in her journey and resting a trembling hand on the cold dirt wall of the cave, her fingers brushing thin, tangled roots. Up ahead she could see yellow eyes gleaming back at her amongst the darkness. They thinned, narrowing at her almost accusingly, studiously, before slowly disappearing as the Spirit blinked wearily and exhaled. The shinigami could feel the air of the breath rush against her, winding through her long hair and tugging at her clothes. The smell leaved a lot to be desired, but she hardly noticed it as she swallowed.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked, just for the sake of it—despite the fact that she knew who it was.
You should know, child. I have been calling. And just like the young one you are, you don't listen.
Warmth filled Sakura at the calming, soothing tone the Spirit held, even though the cave was as icy as the middle of winter in the Snow Country and even though the voice had an underlying tone that was deep, guttural, like an animal.
Child. She says child. And that voice...
Sakura wondered... she spoke like a mother would to a child.
She felt suddenly safe in the presence of her Spirit and confidence bubbled within her as she breathed in the icy air around her. It turned warm as it entered her throat, heating her cold body.
"Please. Remind me." She swallowed, fingers digging into the dirt wall. "Remind me once more."
The yellow eyes widened in surprise before reducing in size. A soft chuckle followed.
The cave suddenly distorted, twisting anti-clockwise, the earthy colours fusing together into a swirl right before her eyes. Black started to smother her, and Sakura feared the moment that those yellow eyes, both alarming but endearing, were to disappear. But as she took a step forward, Sakura gasped sharply and loudly, tilting her head back as she tried to breathe. Darkness grew lighter, turning red, sunlight beating on her lids and she continued to hoarsely breathe in the surrounding air, hearing her heart thump hastily in her head as the short-lived pain coursed through her body and vanished with a silent whimper.
And then Sakura felt bliss. She could feel a light breeze caressing her skin, her nerves tingling; could smell the sweet scent of fresh leaves and grass and soil, and even a tinge of exotic, spicy herbs that she recognised to be a certain man's scent. In a flash she opened her eyes, instantly meeting ones of black—like the black that she was previously immersed in—that belonged solely to her Captain.
They stared at each other in silence until he spoke, raising an eyebrow. "Well?"
Sakura couldn't help the excited grin that crawled onto her lips.
It had been two years to the day since they arrived in Soul Society, looking like nothing more than innocent sheep with their doe-like eyes as they took in their new home. It was a big step into the unknown that day, a big leap into a different future.
Neji did wonder what sort of life he could have led if had remained in Konoha—whether he'd reach jounin or even ANBU—but the more he thought about it, the more he realised that he knew he'd be haunted with the knowledge of others elsewhere, training like mad to protect home. So, in essence, the Hyuuga was overly glad that he chose to go.
At the moment, however, he was heading towards the shared training grounds with a swelling of anxiousness brewing in his stomach. Why was he nervous? Simple, today was the day that the former-nin were to be evaluated in their current progress as a shinigami. Neji was confident he would appease the other Captains that would watch, but he also wondered what techniques the others had up their sleeves that he didn't know about and could thus lose favour.
True, they had all swapped small information about where they were at but it was just that: small. He had recalled what they each said but soon found out that the little info they gave wasn't exactly helpful for him to conjure a counterattack to anything, unless it was on the spot in the heat of battle
It didn't matter. He was good at on the spot thinking.
And the more he thought on it, the more Neji grew interested to see how far they had all come. Did they all have Zanpaku-to's just like him? Would Hinata be involved also? She was an ex-nin after all.
This thought of his cousin brought Neji to ponder over the absence of Shikamaru's father. True, he didn't know the man very well but since he hadn't even seen nor heard a whisper about him since entering Soul Society, Neji was beginning to get curious. He had once asked his Captain about it but was re-directed to the Head-Captain. Unfortunately, the answer was of no help.
It was like Shikaku was erased from existence, something Neji felt was very wrong. When he and Captain Kuchiki had that talk months back, his questions had drifted to the passing of other souls and he asked why most of Konoha's dead was not walking around the Rukongai district.
He, Byakuya, explained that it was because they died before the tear was made, so their souls must have faded into nothing after many years. Only the fresh souls, the ones recently killed and still wandering the streets of Konoha were given passage to the afterlife.
The whole ordeal, frankly, upset Neji a little. He had started to grow hopes of seeing is father again, only for it to be impossible. It then made him realise that his father may not be in an afterlife like he, himself, was. This thought was... daunting.
"Oh, Neji!" a sing-song voice called from behind, purging his deep thoughts.
He blinked, peering over his shoulder and muttering a "hm?" before seeing a beaming Matsumoto bound up to him and sling an arm around his solid shoulders; he wasn't as big as Kiba, by far, but was still aging to his late teens. The device used to create his shinigami form was incredible useful, but Neji wondered whether or not, if he actually died, if he'd still have his abilities afterwards. He assumed so, as Hinata, from what he had heard and seen, still had remnants of her past ninja abilities—including the Byakugan.
The orange-haired woman tussling his brown hair pulled him from his reverie again and he twitched, his fingers that were on the handle of his brand new blade tightened a little more around the leather-weaved handle.
He enjoyed using his new weapon, his Zanpaku-to, after finally managing to hear the voices name echoing in his head for the past year and a half; the voice was maddening. He'd hear it constantly, a soft, gentle vocal of a woman bleeding through his mind and lingering, and even in his dreams whilst he slept. At first he ignored it, hoping that he wasn't going insane, but she was insistent and Captain Hitsugaya had informed him—after a while of seeing Neji do less than he was normally able during training—that it was the voice of the spirit of his Zanpaku-to. Neji was eager that he was moving on and on. Thus he used every chance he could get to spar Matsumoto, to practise his newfound abilities; his Shikai.
And Kami knows that even now, before the evaluation, she—Matsumoto—was once again pushing it.
"You go, big boy!" she screamed in his ear excitedly—he flinched—proceeding to give him a tight, unwelcome hug. "I have confidence that you'll kick their butts!"
That was it.
Calm down, young one.
His reach for the handle was slowed. Neji—slightly calmer than before—grasped the handle of his katana and lifted it only a little from the scabbard at his side; Matsumoto jumped back, her pink tongue poking at him in tease. The Hyuuga glowered, unable to understand why he couldn't just tolerate this woman like everyone else. She giggled, waving her hand at him apologetically but her expression seemed to prove the very opposite. "After all, with your new skills, you have beaten me at least once."
"Matsumoto," Neji warned, all too aware of the fact that she was just saying that to get a reaction out of him, something that she, in particular, was very good at. And yes, he was proud of the fact that after finally gaining a Zanpaku-to, he had beaten her once or twice, but it never reached passed the single digits; this fact he cursed but he knew it was because the spirit wanted to ease strength into him, not release it full blast.
Her sudden change in attitude made him pause. It lessened, and she breathed out, a hand on her hip as she stared at him almost lovingly, like a mother to a child. Neji sprouted goosebumps, having never seen this sort of expression directed towards him before, especially by his sparring buddy since she did have an array of emotions.
The Hyuuga blinked, brow still furrowed and his fingers all too ready to slip his katana out and wield it but he was surprised to suddenly find black-clothed arms wrap around his shoulders and reel him in into a warm, soft body. He felt something rest on his head as he stared at her exposed collar bone, wondering what she was doing as her fingers pressed into his back lightly.
"You'll do well," he heard her whisper from above, and numbly Neji released the handle of his Zanpaku-to and stood in her embrace, not sure whether to return it or not.
Honestly, he was surprised at her audacity, but what shocked him most was that she had somehow grown more attached to him than he thought. True, two years had passed, but Neji had always thought she viewed him as an annoying, unresponsive (though he was quite responsive) little brother, much like their Captain. Now Neji knew how she viewed him.
Like a son.
Those words by themselves made his heart beat faster as he remembered his childhood, seeing his father but no woman beside him.
He never had a mother.
But now he did.
"Go get 'em, tiger."
Sakura picked at the end of her braid delicately, trying to listen to Ino or at least look like she was. She gazed up at the blonde's slim form in front of her as they walked, before she sighed and stared intently back at her braid, running her fingers smoothly over the intertwining of the locks.
For a while now she had decided to regrow her hair but not keep it down where she found herself getting constantly infuriated by it as it was always in the way. In recent days, in her spare time in the morning, she'd sit on her bed and start braiding, making sure that it was neat or until she was satisfied before she tied it off. Her hair already reached a little passed her scapula.
"I'm so excited." Sakura managed to catch, hearing the emphasised 'so' in her friend's sentence. She smiled. They were both excited, having established that when they met on the way to the training ground. Having the opportunity to just display what they knew was an exhilarating thought, and with each step closer to the destination, Sakura felt confidence spur. "I wonder how everyone has gone with their training," Ino stated, this time pulling the pinkette back to reality.
She grinned, trotting up beside her friend and matching her determined gaze. "They'll be a challenge, and that's for sure."
Ino's lips curled into a devious smirk. She had always liked a challenge. "You better be one too, Sa-ku-ra," the blonde teased, wagging her finger with each syllable she spoke in the others name.
Sakura laughed. "Better pray you won't be buried under the rubble, girl!"
"Oh, you'll be surprised."
"Oh, really?"
The two stared at each other, halted in their trek as they challenged each other. Seconds passed, and a few more before Ino parted her lips, only to have another voice replace her own.
"Am I interrupting something here?"
The two girls whirled around, and Sakura's eyes of determination to battle her friend crumbled into cautiousness as she took in Aizen's towering form. She tensed her muscles but made sure not to make it obvious as she looked the Captain in the eyes (she didn't doubt that he knew nonetheless), knowing that it was better to keep someone you didn't trust in your vision than not. Ino, however...
"Captain Aizen!" she sighed, bowing in respect as she clasped her hands together to her chest. Sakura stared in surprise at her friend, knowing full well that the blonde idolised the Fifth Captain much like Hinamori did, but seeing Ino act this way over and over only served to scare the pinkette—Ino just may be more obsessed over this man than she was previously with Sasuke. She swallowed uncomfortably, feeling the atmosphere suddenly grow tense, even if it wasn't at all.
Peering back up at Aizen's eyes, Sakura fought hard not to flinch when she saw that he was gazing back at her, an almost mischievous smile on his lips. She narrowed her brow in an almost challenge.
Her Captain was right. This man did not feel right. And while she thought it weird that her Captain actually showed some suspicion with other Captains—and actually informed her—Sakura didn't think on it. She trusted Captain Kuchiki, soaked in his words, much like an ANBU would have the Hokage.
But her friend was pretty much obsessed with Aizen and Sakura knew that telling Ino would only result in a bruised friendship, something she couldn't risk as she had strived to protect it at all costs. She had wounded it, even killed it, as kids, over something so ridiculous, and even moreso now because the Uchiha had betrayed them.
The two had continued to grow as friends over the two years; eating, laughing, talking together. Tenten and Hinata were always there too but... Sakura did not know them as well as she knew Ino. And each time she conversed with the blonde, there seemed to be some sort of block that tabbed their relationship. So she just knew, she felt it in her blood, that something was wrong.
Sakura wasn't an idiot. In fact, training with Captain Kuchiki did wonders for her abilities as soon as she got the hang of it, so she grew to be observant. There was nothing she could do, however. So she did nothing.
"Haruno," Aizen spoke and she tried not to shiver. His imposing gentlemanly trait did not convince her like it did Ino and others.
Sorry, Ino, but I'm not like that. I'm not weak in that way.
"Yes?" Sakura straightened, knowing full well that Aizen had a gut instinct with what she thought of him.
"Mind if I steal your friend for a second?"
It wasn't an offer. He was basically ordering her to scram...
...and scram she would.
Sakura sighed, bowed to him and bid her friend farewell, who gave her a distracted one in return. And as she headed for the evaluation event, she could feel Aizen's eyes penetrating into her back, making her hair stand on edge.
She didn't glance back over her shoulder as she turned the corner, leaving her friend with a predator.
It felt wrong with each step she took towards the evaluation destination. Really she should be protecting her friend from what she thought was unhealthy but Sakura knew all too well that Ino wouldn't listen, which scared her.
She didn't want to lose her, the one who helped her step towards her new future with confidence (with the help of Captain Kuchiki, of course) but every time they spoke, as she thought before, there was something settling in the middle, making it hard to work around. This block wasn't there at the beginning, Sakura didn't think, and it was definitely not there before the whole fiasco with the shinigami occurred, so the pinkette figured she had reason enough to blame her new occupation.
She supposed it wasn't fair but—
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Yeek!"
The next thing Sakura knew was that she was soaked with water, her robes so much heavier now that they were drenched. Her hair clung to her skin, and—why could she feel this slimy thing sail over her fingers?
She gasped, withdrawing her hand from the shallow water and watching in horror as a small goldfish shot to the other side of the pond, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. She paused, breathing in slowly, her skin still tingling at the sensation of the scaly animal caressing her.
And then she heard laughter.
Sakura scowled, glaring at the chortling red-head shinigami who was clutching his chest as though his lungs would burst. She mentally smirked... maybe she could help with that.
The ex-nin grabbed the handle of her wet Zanpaku-to, intent on teaching Renji Abarai a lesson, but as soon as she slammed her sandalled feet onto the bottom of the pond, she slipped, falling back onto her rear and splashing water all over the banks. This just caused the arrogant shinigami to cackle even harder.
Now she was pissed. She was soaked, cold, nervous, angry and now her bloody ass hurt!
"Renji," she growled, moving her stringy bangs from her eyesight to give the shinigami a better look at her menacing glare, which was completely ineffective considering the other was crying from laughter.
"Haha—kehaha—nice—" he sniggered, "—trip? Hahahaha!" A snort.
"Shut up!" Sakura yelled, disappearing from her seat in the koi pond and tossing the sheath of her Zanpaku-to across the grassy area. "You're dead!"
The last thing she saw before the red-head disappeared was a cocky but amused smirk on his lips—then he was gone. She cursed, spinning around with ease—hair streaming, the ball of her feet sinking into the now mud—successfully blocking a blow from behind; she bared her teeth in annoyance when she saw that he hadn't taken out his weapon but kept it in its sheath to attack.
Nothing pissed her off more than people underestimating her.
Woohoo! You show him whose boss! Show him that us women are fighting machines! Go! Go for it!
Sakura fought the urge to sigh at the encouragement of her Zanpaku-to Spirit. The woman was awesome, put simply, but was also freakishly sensitive when it came to people insulting Sakura, even if it was jokingly. Now, in the past six months—ever since the formation of her wakizashi—Sai, Renji, even Byakuya, and a number of others were on her Spirit's hit list. She was, in every aspect, like an overprotective mother; but was also, unfortunately, depending on how it's looked at, a lot about female dominance. It was hard to believe that at their first meeting her attitude was as calm and smooth as cream.
And fighting machines?
Re-gripping the weaved handle, Sakura slid her foot back, ignoring the mud collecting on the sides of her feet, before she sprung forward, taking a swipe at the cocky red-haired man. He dodged, laughing, and flipped back again when she went for another attack.
Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!
And Renji's guard was down for a second. Sakura took this chance, bringing the wakizashi back and positioning it in a way so that she'd impale him if it hit.
Too bad it didn't.
Sakura heard her Spirit growl loudly—a guttural one, considering the form she took—before she herself even saw her Captain standing in front of her, the sheath for her Zanpaku-to in his hand. Adrenaline was fizzling in her body as she lost her fighting form and looked up at Captain Kuchiki.
And instantly she looked away, angry spurring within her still.
"I'm disappointed, Sakura," he said—she barely flinched. He had said that quite a bit since she continued to let her anger get out of hand, but it still hurt to hear those words since she wanted nothing more than to please him, and he acted like she was doing the exact opposite. He hardly gave her praise, just harsh criticism when she did something wrong.
Yet, somehow, she knew that the day she heard the name of her Zanpaku-to, he was proud, even if he didn't show it. He had to be. It was still making her mad though; but regardless... she couldn't really hate him—could she?
"I'm sorry, Captain Kuchiki." She bowed, tenderly taking the scabbard and sliding her wakizashi back into it.
"You have a test in under half an hour, and you thought it wise to start a fight with a senior?" he continued, his deep voice sending vibrations through her skin.
It didn't matter how much she tried to stop it, how she felt about him. True, the man was as dry as a biscuit, and had made it crystal clear that he wasn't interested in anything to do with women—she hadn't found this out by personal experience—and he did irritate her so much with his attitude, but somehow she was hooked, like she was a fish, and he the line. What made it worse was that if he did know, he didn't do anything to either encourage her or dissuade her, so it was driving Sakura bonkers—this coupled with the whole 'disappointment' thing.
"I'm sorry, sir."
He hmm'd, eyes boring into her tilted head before he looked over his shoulder at the red-head behind him. "Why did you provoke my student?" he asked; her heart fluttered.
Renji's almost awe-like eyes died to fear. He bowed curtly. "My apologies, Captain Kuchiki. I merely wished to wish her luck but..." the end of the sentence was obvious, as that incentive did not go according to plan.
"Then say it and leave. I will not inform your Captain about this, but consider it a warning; same with you, Sakura."
There was a pause where Sakura felt annoyance fester within her, and where Renji sounded as though he was hesitating about what to say. Then he nodded. "Good luck, Sakura." And he was gone.
Sakura felt her body deflate as she was left alone with her Captain. She both hated and loved it; loved it because his mere presence was... alluring... and hated it because she couldn't stand what she thinking or feeling. All those training sessions didn't help either.
There were times where he was merely dodging all of her blows, then there were others where he faced her forcefully, physically, with the spar ending with his hand either around her throat or her wrist. Call her crazy but that simple touch just made her—
"Why are you still here?"
"Huh?" Sakura blinked.
"The Evaluation starts in fifteen minutes. So move."
Blushing, Sakura nodded and headed off, knowing that her Captain would already be there by the time she arrived. Damn, Captain...
...but still irresistible.
Well, she had become somewhat of a daredevil since arriving in Soul Society.
True to what she had thought, Byakuya was already at the training grounds when she arrived. He was with the other Captains lining the sides, eyeing the other shinigami that turned up for the show briefly before ignoring their excited chatter.
How had word gotten out?
A deep chuckle right next him caused the noble to peel open his eyes and raise an eyebrow at the tall Captain beside him. "Your student came a little late!"
He turned his head away, as though the sight of Kenpachi ruined his eyes. "At least she is here."
"Tenny was here a long time ago," he stated with a frown; he chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Now I wonder how well the kitten will go against yours."
Another Captain joined the conversation, his light chuckle capturing their attention. "Proud of your student, Captain Kenpachi?" Ukitake queried; he slipped his hands into the sleeves of his shihaksho. The white-haired man smiled, waving gently to Ino just arriving with Captain Aizen tailing quietly behind her; she waved her whole arm vigorously in return.
"Not proud, exactly," Kenpachi said.
"I heard that there was a little debacle about her Zanpaku-to," Ukitake commented, his tone hinting that he was curious to hear the rest of the story. The massive shinigami chuckled without humour, a frown now wrinkling the skin on his forehead more.
Now Byakuya was a little more interested in the conversation, and he tore his eyes from the ex-nin that were gathered in the centre of the field and amiably talking, and paid more attention to the talk.
"11th Division is melee fighting. Most of us have melee Zanpaku-to's," Zaraki started, beady eyes watching the brunette student metres from him. Tenten had changed a fair bit. Her hair was still in two buns but now had loose locks dangling from the centre, and she was garbed in the shinigami attire, her Zanpaku-to on her back.
"I take it her Zanpaku-to is Kidō?" Byakuya decided to ask. The only response was a guttural grunt from the tall man beside him.
That ended that conversation.
But then the 11th Captain spoke again. "Wanna place bets?"
The whole training field went silent as soon as the Head-Captain arrived, his wrinkled hands clenched tightly around the hook of his cane before he lightly tapped the ground and stepped to a halt. Everyone was watching him, waiting for him to start the Evaluation.
There were other shinigami from all Divisions, standing behind the row of Captain's and Lieutenant's that were closest to the grass field where the battles would be. They were whispering, filling the area with the sounds of clinking metal as more bets were placed. This only served to unnerve Sakura even more, and she glanced down the row of ex-nin on both sides of her.
They were undoubtedly feeling something too but... her eyes narrowed on Sai, and she scowled. He was wearing that damn fake smile again.
She was so deep in thought that she flinched when a heavy, booming voice flooded the field. "Sai and Hinata!"
Chills exploded over her skin at the sound of those two names, but it quickly subsided to deep interest as she and the other ex-nin moved to the side, leaving said members out on the training field. Her heart was pounding almost feverishly while she kept her eyes fully trained on the both of them, more on Sai than Hinata due to his mysteriousness. Then again... she set her vision on the female Hyuuga... the girl was an official shinigami, not a substitute.
Sakura didn't know who she should watch like a hawk.
The watchers rippled with whispers as they turned to each other and waited in anticipation for the battle to begin. Tousen and Soi Fon exchanged a look, matching grim smiles on their faces. The two battler's stood opposite each other, a fake smile vs. a concentrated one. Both their hands were resting on the handle of their blades, ready to withdraw them in a hurry—who was faster?
"Begin!"
Sakura could feel Neji tense beside her, and she glanced up at him. He was focusing on both of them so intently that it made her nervous. She barely caught him whispering under her breath, "they have Zanpaku-to's too."
The pink-haired shinigami didn't get a chance to respond as Hinata made the first move. Her arm rose, unsheathing a small blade and moving her left foot back so that it was a small distance almost directly behind her right. And she readied the wakizashi, her lips tight—Neji tensed even more, excitement filling him.
And Sakura as well—in the pit of her stomach. Go Hinata.
It began.
Hinata moved first, springing him at a speed she didn't previously own when she was a ninja. And as she was mere seconds from Sai, his fake smile ever present, his katana was drawn, blocking the frontal attack with ease and causing sharp sparks to emit. Hinata disappeared and he squatted, the Hyuuga seconds later shooting across the field, a gasp hissing from her throat.
Sai followed close behind, and Hinata flipped in mid air, landing on ground and slowing her skid with a hand in front of her. The next thing she saw as she looked up was his smile, and his katana pointed right at her. The Hyuuga widened her eyes but then quickly scowled, spinning her Zanpaku-to around in her right hand—so that the blade went along her forearm—and then swinging it with ease as soon as her opponents weapon was within range.
The metal met, her arm protected by the blade as the other Zanpaku-to weighed down on her—but only for a split second. Hinata pushed the katana away from her body fluidly, to the right, bringing her other hand to grab Sai's right hand holding the blade.
It was done in mere seconds.
They paused, her thin fingers wrapped around his knuckles, fighting against his strength that was pushing back at her. He stared at her with emotionless onyx eyes, an almost sincere smile on his face. "That was quite good," he remarked. "But..." She felt her eyes widen as Sai's spare hand made a few symbols, and whispered, "Way of Destruction, Number 1: Sho."
Blue light flashed before her and Hinata was flung back onto the training field, earning quite a reaction from the crowd. Sakura bit her lip softly, clasping her hands as she watched the battle continue. Sai certainly had speed and skill with Kidō, but Hinata showed interesting talent as well. She thought on her feet, and used her lithe—but busty—body to her advantage, coupled with speed to avoid.
Dust clouded Hinata's form, her silhouette still able to be made out, however, as it started to clear. And then Sakura—everybody—heard the timid Hyuuga call out a name in a firm voice that sent electricity shooting through Sakura's veins. "Drown them, Kootte Me!" (1)
Sakura's breath was gone as the very air turned moist, water clinging to her like a second skin. The field grew clogged with white mist, but it was light, just enough to see the forms of the battler's, their blades pointed towards each other in challenge. Sakura swore she could hear Kiba's teeth chattering in awe and she wondered if Hinata had ever displayed such prowess as a ninja on his team, but judging by his reaction, Sakura felt safe to assume that Hinata had made a considerable leap already.
She guessed that there were some perks with being entirely dead after all.
Across the field, Sakura could see interest brewing in the Captain's and other shinigami as they watched and waited in anticipation for the reveal of her shikai. Her eyes locked briefly on her Captain's before she tore away from him and accidentally rested them on the short squirt from Division 10. He was staring at her.
Then he looked away. She furrowed her brow, not particularly liking the feeling that that expression created in her stomach. Then again, she could have been overreacting. Maybe they only happened to catch each other looking at the other at an awkward time.
Soi Fon bit her lip, muttering a curse under her breath as she glared at the mousy Hyuuga on the field. She clenched her fists before scoping over her student and noting that the stoic boy realised the very problem he was in.
Yeah, the kid knows it. His shikai won't be as effective now.
Feeling someone concentrating on her, the Captain shot a look down the line of Captain's, meeting Tousen's eye. The female quickly scowled as she saw a slight smirk on his lips, and she crossed her arms, returning her attention to the field, blatantly ignoring the chuckle of Kyōraku beside her.
The dust finally settled, though the field was still slightly filled with mist that nipped at Sakura's fingers, and small puddles were accumulating on the ground. But at last Hinata stood, her shikai now gleaming before her. It looked like a horseshoe, but the 'prongs' were longer and pointed, one longer than the other, and the handle—wrapped in black leather—was just small enough for her hand to fit into the curve.
Sakura could practically feel interest and earnest leak out of the Hyuuga beside her.
Round Two began.
Hinata sped forward, eyes raking of Sai's posture; he was guarded, but she didn't stop. At the last second, just before she was within range of a swing of his inactivated katana, Hinata plunged her heel into the muddy floor and skidded between the ex-nin's parted legs, her Zanpaku-to's prongs pointed towards the earth.
Sai sensed her skid behind and briefly wondered what the heck she was doing before he suddenly saw a wave of water crushing towards him. It came out of nowhere, and it was coming fast. He tensed his body so that his muscles felt like iron, and in the seconds before the water was to bulldoze him over, he crossed his hands over each other and whispered a few words in a heated rush, ignoring the flecks of spray that tickled his cheeks and the way his heart was racing like mad.
Yellow light spread in front of him just as the water made contact but the glowing shield instantly shattered under the weight, and the wave tackled the shinigami to the ground, forcing him into the sinking earth. His eyes were clenched, his lungs burning, trying to get air, but the water remained around him, smothering him.
Whatever happened caused commotion on the opposite of the field, as the other Captain's were all facing Captain Soi Fon almost accusingly. Sakura felt her heart leap to her throat as she witnessed just what happened. She wasn't sure if she was reacting to the same thing the Captain's were, as they were clearly interested in something, but she was focusing more on the feat Hinata completed and was still doing.
The Hyuuga had the water suspended in that one spot, the points of her deformed wakizashi pointed at the body of liquid with two fingers of her spare hand by the side of it. She was concentrating, trying to keep it up.
But all too soon Sakura witnessed the water level lowering, and she saw panic rise in Hinata's eyes. Hissing, the female Hyuuga pulled her Zanpaku-to back along with her free hand and instantly the water vanished, dispersing into the atmosphere. Sai remained on his back, still, his body slowly sinking into the earth until—poof!
The crowd let out collective gasp as his body disappeared in a puff of smoke. Even the ex-nin exchanged looks as the smoke settled, revealing a thick log.
He performed ninja arts.
Hinata's breath snagged, veins twining from her eyes—Neji shifted—seconds prior to her dart forward, narrowly missing a blow from behind. Her balance was now off and she skidded on the mud, falling onto her back and sliding through it; mud clung to her, adding weight. She didn't have time to react as a blur of black above her became solid and Sai, his eyes slightly narrowed, came down, his katana not pointed at her but positioned so that, if it hit it would slice her in half.
Twang!
He landed, feet either side of her hips, his hands clenching the handle of his katana tightly as he put more weight into the weapon that was wedged between the prongs of Hinata's Zanpaku-to.
There was a long short pause, wherein which Hinata felt the beat of her heart thrumming in her ears and panted heavily, eyes focusing first on the tip of the blade inches above her head but then on the wielder of the weapon. Sai was calm, looking as though he hadn't broken a sweat even though he was drenched.
"Fester, Kuro," (3) he whispered, milliseconds before he took a step back and drew his katana from the wedge, creating a sharp pitched sound that made her wince and a collection of sparks. But at the same time, a black substance splattered over her body.
Hinata gasped, sealing eyes shut as she grasped at her chest with her free hand. All too soon she felt heat on her skin, and hardly a moment later, the ink burst into vicious black flames. The Hyuuga engulfed her bottom lip with her top and bit hard, blood drooling from the wound as she suppressed the urge to scream. It burned like hell, but yet, through the pain, through the flames, Hinata retreated back swiftly before swinging her wakizashi around her, a stream of water veiling her and causing a cloud of steam to smother the field as the fire was doused.
Sai was gone, his form buried within the thick grey smoke, and again the two blades met, unbeknownst to the crowd waiting. Determined light lavender matched stoic dark onyx. Hinata didn't have time to muse that his brow was slightly wrinkled. "Those flames would have been worse if it were not for your mist that numbed them," he said slowly, arm muscles bulging as he pressed harder against her; she fought back, whimpering, wincing, tears lingering in her eyes.
Her chest heaved; it was getting harder to breathe. "I've..." she exhaled, flinching as he added more weight, pushing her feet into the mud even more. "I've still got more."
Sakura couldn't believe what she just saw. She literally couldn't find words to describe it. Neji, she knew, was also completely floored. But those flames...
As soon as they ruptured, the pink-haired shinigami felt fear creep into her system. She didn't like the look of their eating bodies, and she particularly didn't like the release command: fester. It just sounded wrong; black, evil.
What scared her more was that Sai was able to combine shinigami and ninja arts together, even if it was briefly. She didn't know if it showed that he was behind in converting chakra into reiryoku, or if he had plenty of the energy and was skilled enough to put it into jutsu's. Sakura hoped desperately that it was the former. And if it was the former, it led to the thought: why was he allowed to come if he had so much chakra?
Lee and Naruto were not allowed to go because of it, but yet he was accepted. It was unfair. Why did—
Sakura frowned, the banter beside her between her ex-nin began to fade. That man. That man insisted that Sai should come, and Captain Soi Fon had mentioned that he was not able to go at first because he had too much chakra. Yet he went.
It didn't make sense.
At that time however—as Neji and Kiba ceased their bickering worry for the Hyuuga female—the smoke started to disperse and two interlocked forms were discernable.
Hinata... she was alright!
Relief flooded Sakura's system in seconds as she sighed out, spinning to Neji beside her and giving him a tight hug before repeating the same action to Kiba beside her, ignoring the fact that she couldn't fit her arms around his beefy body—both boys, temporarily, stared in surprise at the pinkette. Ino and Tenten screamed with the crowd.
Now what?
"That's enough." Yamamoto's voice crushed the field, silencing all screams and hoots from the crowd of shinigami. Sai and Hinata, however, didn't pull back. They remained fixated. "I said that's enough." And slowly but surely the two shinigami retracted back from each other, one step and then two, their eyes still locked. The area waited in anticipation for the Head-Captain to state the winner. "A tie."
"What?"
"You've gotta be kidding me?"
"That kid was gonna kick that mouse's ass!"
"Hell no! She was gonna wipe the floor with him!"
"She just burst into flames you idiot!"
"And she's still standing, prick!"
Fights sprouted between the seated and unseated shinigami at the back, and all too soon fists were thrown and more curses were tossed around.
Sakura herself couldn't be happier with that result, and she stated so to Kiba beside her, who could only nod as he was basically speechless. And then the pinkette glanced around the big boy's body, hoping to give another hug to a certain creature but was disappointed when she didn't spot him. She looked up at the Inuzuka with a quizzical look. "Where's Akamaru?"
His joyous expression drained immediately to a weary, sad one; she regretted it as soon as she saw it. She didn't notice Neji pay attention as well.
"He's home," Kiba said almost mournfully. Truthfully, the answer didn't fit the expression at all that Sakura couldn't help but be unconvinced. Yet he turned away from her, and at the same time, Hinata collapsed to the muddy ground, so she couldn't prod further into the matter.
Sakura was worried. Everybody, even herself, was changing so much that they were beginning to be unrecognisable.
"Next match: Neji and Tenten."
Slush clung to their feet as the two former teammates trudged onto the field, avoiding eye contact at first but then inevitably turning to face each other. Tenten barely flinched when she met his lavender gaze, but she didn't deter, instead raised a hand to let it rest comfortably on the handle of her katana. Neji mirrored her actions.
Sakura noted that even though both katana's were the same size, they both exuberated a certain personality just by the appearance of their scabbard. Tenten's was a weaving case; a honey-coloured thatched covering that had a littering of black spots all around it. Neji's was smoother, wooden, a beautiful brown with a band of gold at the top. There were two feathers that fell from the end, along with an extra two from the handle. It was obvious what his Zanpaku-to was like then.
"Begin!"
They both drew, though Neji was the first who activated his shikai, knowing full well that he'd need it for this fight. "Soar, Unubore!" (3) The metal glowed briefly before it bubbled and thousands of sharp points emerged from the silver and hardened so that the katana looked scaled. Without waiting, the Hyuuga started off, zeroing in on the weapons mistress; closer, and closer, and closer, until—
"Race, Hageshii Kiiro!" (4) and a flash of yellow jaggered passed Neji's shoulder, forcing him to throw off his attack and flip to the side to safety, though as soon as he landed another stream was shot towards him and he jumped back. The light disappeared as it hit the mud, and Neji quickly gathered his thoughts.
He grabbed his shoulder, fingers tucking under the torn cloth and feeling the edges. He felt soot ground between his fingers, and he curiously stared up at Tenten, her shikai now active and crackling with coils of sporadic yellow; electricity. Neji mentally cursed, rising to his feet and ignoring the slight throbbing in his shoulder from where the lightning had sheered over him.
That was just a tester. Now the real battle begins.
The Hyuuga's eyes were analysing, knowing full well that her Zanpaku-to was of Kidō type—electricity—and that it didn't particularly affect the use of his—shit, he swore. Metal conducts electricity and both katana's are of the same metal. That covering... he made note of the black bulbs placed all of it and with his keen eyes, as well as memory from when they spoke earlier, they could be rubber, therefore... the electricity her Zanpaku-to conjures is maintained within the scabbard, and that's why it crackles when released—maybe even in its sealed state it may do the same.
The lightning shots are fast... he remembered the burn on his skin briefly... and hurt too. It was just a warning. Neji matched her determined brown eyes and felt his skin on his brow wrinkle as he slid into a stance. She was good as a ninja, but more damage can be done with a well-aimed lightning bolt. He chuckled. And Kami knows her aim is impeccable. She can be dangerous; and my Zanpaku-to may not—no...
That's right, young one. Use force.
Neji nodded to himself. Unubore was right. First he should try it, and if it doesn't work, he'd find a way around it.
He took a step back—Tenten tensed—before jumping back another few metres and bringing his katana up above his head. Within the same breath Neji swung it down from the right, creating a crescent motion, and at the same time, a gust of harsh wind billowed from his blade and sailed outwards, the mist from the previous fight collecting in it. He repeated the action, spinning on his foot as she swung the blade again, and then again, the gales increasing.
Grass stretched against the current, hair was tossed and knotted, clothes almost tearing at the seams at the ferocity of the wind. And soon enough, the Hyuuga was hidden amongst the blurs of the conjured tornado-like attack, his brown hair loose and whipping like mad.
Tenten readied herself, gripping her weapon tighter. "Lightning can still pass through. After all, it has an attraction to metal!" And she shot another bolt towards the wind, confident that it would herd towards the metal of Neji's katana, but it was eradicated as a collection of sharp metal feathers darted from the wind. The electricity absorbed into them and the impact made them fall, but another group swiftly appeared and whizzed towards the brunette female.
She cursed, knowing that Neji was now planning to watch her moves, despite the fact that wind was hurling around him. Tenten dodged them by jumping back, but as the feathers started to drop towards the mud, they were once again lifted by a rogue gust of air and she was forced to deflect them with her katana.
She managed to, but by that time more were sent in her direction and she let out some exertion before getting ready to defend herself, stepping forward.
Then she felt it; sharp pains slicing across her thighs and shoulders. Tenten grimaced, groaning with the pain and collapsing to her knees. She looked up to notice that the attack was halted, or at least—Tenten hurriedly whirled around, ignoring the mud that seeped into her wounds on her legs.
The feathers... they were gone.
Hey, chick, remember what his Zanpaku-to looked like, Hageshii Kiiro spoke as the wielder tried to listen through the wind. It was an easy feat considering his deep voice.
Right... she swallowed, lifting herself up to her feet with relative ease. The feathers are those sharp points on his blade... but that doesn't explain why they are no longer on the ground... why they are gone.
Think about it, chick. Think about it reeeeally hard.
You always did like teasing me. And giving me riddles.
His throaty laughter echoed in her mind. Beginning, middle and end. There's ya riddle.
Kii!
His laughter resonated again but she didn't have to respond as she dodged another flurry of metal points. Jumping back, and then back again.
Mid-dle, Hage sang.
What?
Oooo, look out, chick! He chuckled.
Tenten dodged again, flipping over the collection of embedded knives before resting firmly on the drying mud.
Bad idea, he whispered.
What?
And then sharp pains skewered through her body again. Blood shot from her throat as the shinigami fell to the ground, feathers sticking out from her back like a porcupine, over a dozen of them. Tenten tried to think through the pain, tried to ignore the jerking in her veins as the pain continued to course through to her brain.
Beginning. Middle. She coughed blood onto the dirt. And end.
The wind slowly started to reduce, the weather lightening as Neji willed himself to a firm halt. Wisps of gusts continued to whirl around him and the field but things were now visible as he held his Zanpaku-to firmly in his hand and took a step towards his former teammate. Everyone noticed that many of the sharp points on his blade were gone, and instantly connected them to the feathers protruding from Tenten's back.
That's right, chick.
"Well, Captain Kenpachi, it seems my student may have won," Hitsugaya said, his body still facing the field even though the question was directed to the massive man two people down from him. The Captain laughed at the idea, earning him a death glare from the prodigy. "Why are you laughing?" he growled.
Zaraki bared his teeth, gaining interest from the rest of the Captain's around him. "Don't be so sure, shrimp."
"Don't call me that!"
A story has a beginning, middle and end. But... I don't think... you mean that.
Not necessarily, chick.
Lemme think. You said... middle... when I kept jumping back. They landed between me... and him. Tenten's fingers slightly dug into the soft dirt, soil caking under her nails. And if they were 'beginning' when behind me... then... Neji's the 'end'... but... what?... The beginning has to already be there, and they were... they were thrown there. Then... 'not necessarily'...?
Quickly.
A story... her body tensed when realisation struck her. The end is seen throughout the story, beginning and the middle; foreshadowing! Meaning that Neji drew the knives back to him, that's why they disappeared. Now I know more of his technique!
Wasn't so difficult was it, chick? Now, how 'bout making some fancy move to surprise the young drake?
She sensed him draw closer, and as soon as he was within range, Tenten acted. She rose with unprecedented speed and was already swinging her Zanpaku-to at Neji by the time he realised she was already moving.
Twang!
Blades locked, weight on Neji as he was caught unprepared by her swiftness. There was a cheer from the crowds at the signal that the fight was still on. Both teaching Captain's shared a look; Kenpachi cocky, Hitsugaya pissed.
Eyes of a ninja met, both pairs determined to show their true potential. Inwardly, Neji was seething at the fact that he wasn't better prepared for the move.
Electricity sparkled around her blade, and the Hyuuga started to feel a rushing sensation through his arm as Tenten began to send lightning through his blade. Heat was increasing in his arm as the transaction continued, and Neji winced, feeling as though the inside of his forearm and knuckles was peeling.
He growled as he swiftly jumped back, narrowly evading the fall of her blade at the loss of the block. But before he knew it, he was thrown across the field, ribs screaming with pain from a lightning fast kick to the chest.
Desperate, Neji opened his eyes, seeing a very visible Tenten until she became a visage and was gone. He widened his orbs when he sensed her presence to the side of him, and before he could block he was flung across the field once more, sliding through the soft mud as gravity started to crush him.
She was fast.
Blows continued to be thrown against the Hyuuga, like he was nothing more than a rag doll against a ferocious dog. Sakura couldn't decide what to think as she stood and watched, Hinata's hand clenched tightly around her own as she surveyed wide-eyed. "Neji..." she whispered. Never before had she seen her cousin getting so beat by his teammate—that time in the Chuunin Exams excluded.
Panic gurgled within Neji as he continued to take the blows, and anger followed soon after. His Zanpaku-to was on the ground, lying there, bare, and because of that he felt even more defenceless. He was growing tired of it, fast.
He had to see her. He had to see where she was moving and hopefully dodge just in time, as he could tell that every time before she hit there was a brief pause where she took aim.
Crack!
A gasp sighed from his lips as his bones started to wear down, caving, poking at his innards uncomfortably.
That's it!
Neji forced reiryoku from all around his body to his eyes, hoping, praying, pushing his Byakugan to activate. He had been trying to slowly ease the bloodline into use over the months but had not been close to it, however now things were strained; they were necessary. He was willing to endure the pain, as he was positive that his damaged pride would hurt more if he lost.
The energy clambered to his eyes, slicking through the small veins of the optical lens and then expanding the skin by the temple.
Then it all went wrong.
The only thing he felt before darkness consumed him was a destructive collection of sharp stabs thickening within his head and the quiet release of air from his lungs as he lost sight and consciousness.
(1) – "Kootte Me" = Freezing Eye.
(2) – "Kuro" = Black.
(3) – "Unubore" = Humming Pride.
(4) – "Hageshii Kiiro" = Splitting Yellow.
I'm horrible at picking names as I'm not quite sure how they're picked, so I chose words that related to both the person and the Zanpaku-to's abilities.
Anyway, I liked what happened in this chapter but I don't think I executed it properly; which, frankly, sucks. I hope you still liked it, and apologies for the fight scenes. It's actually harder to think of how the fight pans out than writing it but even then I had trouble.
Oooo, what happened to Neji? *grins evilly* More development with Sakura and Byakuya too. Anybody got any opinions on their Spirits? I do intend to show them, mainly Sakura's, and their current form in shikai. Jinzen is a real term in Bleach, btw.
Good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it, I have approximately 4 – 6 chapters of this to go before Part Two begins. :D I'm surprised, actually, that I have only that many; I thought it'd be more.
Ummm... can someone please tell me about flaws in characterisation? I feel like I'm failing in that compartment and I need feedback in that area because I'm getting worried. So... if ya can? Besides that...
THANKYOU FOR THE AWESOME SAUCESOME FEEDBACK! XD It is appreciated a lot. :D And I'd also like to thank SmilingArtist for helping me with the Japanese translations with the names.
. Please vote in my BLExNAR poll and read my other oneshots concerning the same fandoms.
Please review and/or give constructive criticism!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Naruto.