Author's Note~ It has been months since I updated this story and I am not proud of that. But life in the real world sucks and I'm sure most of you would agree with this aggravating fact. My beta-reader and I have both been extremely busy; I took the semester off from college to find work and fanfiction had to take a back seat to trying to fill my wallet with beautiful green paper with dead president's on them. And no I still have no job and my wallet is empty.
Anyway, this chapter is done and I'm already over a thousand words into the next one, but since I'm working on other stories at the same time I'm working on this one who know when it'll be done. I'll try and get it out as soon as possible, especially since Nemu and Mayuri will be in the next chapter.
Also, you may notice a change in Kenpachi's speech in this chapter. It was my beta reader's suggestion and trust her completely.
DISCLAIMER~ Since I haven't done this in a while… Bleach is the property of Kubo-soutaicho. I own nothing except Kenshin Hogasha.
"Hey, Kenshin, wake up. It's time to train," Ikkaku said as he knocked on Kenshin's bedroom door. For several moments, there was no response which caused Ikkaku to frown in annoyance.
"Kenshin, wake up!" he said a little louder and pounded on the door. Again, no response.
Now Ikkaku was getting really annoyed. Kenshin had skipped his evening training the day before and then a full day of training yesterday. He wouldn't have any of it. His captain had ordered him to keep Kenshin training and that was what he intended to do.
"Alright, Kenshin, get up before I go in there and-"he was cut off when the door opened and slammed into his face, knocking him to the floor. Ikkaku got up quickly, prepared to retaliate for the surprise attack. "Not funny Kenshin..."not finishing his threat when he saw that the one who opened the door wasn't Kenshin, but Yachiru.
"Kenny-Two isn't here," she stated.
"What? What do you mean he's not here?" Ikkaku demanded.
"I came to see if he wanted to play with me, but his bed was empty," the tiny lieutenant explained.
"Didn't he come back yesterday?" he asked.
"Ikkaku, did you get him yet?" Yumichika asked, annoyed, as he walked up to the pair in the doorway.
"Yachiru says he's not here," Ikkaku answered.
"What? Maybe he took the Captain's words to heart?" Yumichika suggested.
"Well I guess we better go find him," Ikkaku said, irked he needed to find Kenshin. He sat up and headed for the courtyard with Yumichika and Yachiru in tow.
When they got outside, they came upon an unexpected sight: Captain Unohana walking through the courtyard towards the main building with Kenshin beside her. All the men in the Eleventh Division gave the Fourth Squad Captain a wide berth, mostly out of fear than respect. Unohana merely smiled at them all, which only unnerved the usually fearless squad members even more.
"Good morning Third Seat Madarame, Fifth Seat Ayesagawa," she greeted the two men.
"G-Good morning, Captain Unohana!" both men stammered nervously.
"I need to speak to Captain Zaraki. Would you please take me to him?" she asked sweetly.
Both me looked between each other before Yumichika spoke.
"Well you see, Captain Unohana, Captain Zaraki is rather busy at the moment and-"
"Can you please take me to him, Fifth Seat Ayesagawa?" Retsu asked, a little more sweetly.
Kenshin noticed that it was almost too sweet; he felt a chill creep over him. Ikkaku and Yumichika must have felt it as well; they backed away a bit and quickly agreed to show the Fourth Division Captain to their captain.
"Come, Kenshin," she said, her normal sweet tone returning. Kenshin nodded quickly and followed, still a bit shaken.
The two seated Officers led them through the halls of the Division. On the way, they ran into Yachiru, who immediately initiated her assault on Kenshin's head.
"Kenny-Two's back!" she shouted with glee and launched herself towards his head.
Kenshin, too distracted to evade her, was instantly smothered by her tiny body.
"Lieutenant Kusajishi, please let go of Kenshin's head," Retsu ordered softly.
Yachiru's ears perked up at the sound of the voice. She smiled at Retsu, whose presence she had yet to notice.
"Hiya, Braidy!" she greeted animatedly.
Finally, Kenshin pried Yachiru off his face and glared at her.
"What have I said about that?" he demanded.
Yachiru put her finger to her chin in thought and after several and unnecessary moments of seemingly contemplative thought, she smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't remember!"
"Of course you don't," Kenshin said with a sigh and set her down on the floor.
Kenpachi was annoyed.
He had been sitting by his office window for almost half an hour waiting for that kid to come out and train and he still hadn't shown up.
"That whelp better not have left," he grumbled to himself.
There was a knock at his door and he groaned in further annoyance.
"Who is it?" he growled.
"It's me, Captain," Ikkaku said, opening the door. Kenpachi noticed he looked a little nervous.
"Madarame? What're ya doin' here? Why aren't ya train' the kid?" he demanded.
"Well, you see Captain-" his sentence was cut short when Captain Unohana stepped passed him.
"Good morning, Captain Zaraki," she greeted pleasantly.
Kenpachi froze for a moment. What the heck was the Captain of the Fourth Division doing in his office? An answer came to him and he grinned ferally.
"Ya come here ta fight, Captain Unohana?" he asked excitedly.
"I am here on behalf of one of your subordinates," she answered.
"What? Who? Kenpachi asked in confusion.
Unohana looked behind her and gestured for someone to come forward. Kenpachi watched as Kenshin came out from behind her.
"What is he doin' here?" Kenpachi asked with a frown.
"Do you know where your subordinate was last night, Captain Zaraki?" Unohana asked calmly.
"He wasn't training, I know that much."
Kenshin only scowled. Retsu ignored Kenpachi's remark.
"He wandered into my division during last night's rain storm upset and hurt," she said. "He told me what you had said to him and I must say that I don't think giving him an ultimatum is a very good way to make him feel welcome."
"If he ran crying to you, then he isn't welcome here," Kenpachi responded curtly.
Kenshin's hands balled into fists as he glared at his captain. Retsu ignored Kenpachi's rude comments, and kept her serene composure, although by the increased tension in the reiatsu around the room, he was beginning to try her seemingly inestimable patience.
"Captain Zaraki, last night Kenshin had informed me that he felt he did not belong here and requested that I teach him Kido so that he may join my squad," she revealed.
"HE WHAT?" Kenpachi shouted angrily, causing everyone in the room, except Captain Unohana, to take a fearful step back.
"I agreed," Retsu continued, "under the condition that if after speaking with you about this, he still felt sure about his decision."
"Take him!" Kenpachi said without pause. "If he can't handle bein' a man and wants to be weak for the rest of his life, then I ain't stoppin' him."
"That's not fair," Kenshin said the clenched teeth.
"Not fair?" Kenpachi asked with a frown as he came out from behind his desk to stand in front of Kenshin. "Listen, kid, I'm not here ta baby you like Cap'n Unohana."
"She doesn't baby me," Kenshin said defiantly.
"Oh really?" Kenpachi asked unconvinced. "Why did she confront me for you? If you were a man you would have sucked it up and kept up your trainin'."
"What for?" Kenshin demanded. "You won't let me go out on missions to kill Hollows, you don't promote me; what's the point of training?"
"You really are an idiot aren't ya?" Kenpachi said in frustration.
"Captain Zaraki, that is enough," Unohana said calmly, with a stern undertone, but Kenpachi ignored her.
"I've been pushin' ya all this time so ya won't wind up with another hole in your shoulder, but if you want to join the Fourth Division and lose any chance you have of gettin' stronger, then pack up your things and get out," he said with finality and turned away from Kenshin.
Before anything else could be said, Kenshin charged at the fight hungry captain. However, before he landed an attack, Kenpachi grabbed Kenshin by his shihakushō and then threw him over his head and out of his open office window. There were gasps from all but Kenpachi and Yachiru.
Despite his shock, Kenshin managed to pull himself together as he plummeted to the ground. He rolled as soon as his body connected with ground, and was on his feet quickly. He then withdrew his sword and pointed it at his soon-to-be former captain. Kenpachi looked at him with disinterest.
"Come down and fight me!" Kenshin furiously demanded. "Or are you afraid?"
Kenpachi grinned gleefully at that and lifted one foot onto the windowsill to jump. He was stopped when Captain Unohana grabbed his shoulder.
"This has gone far enough," she said with a stern tone.
"Not yet it hasn't," Kenpachi said and readied himself again for the jump.
"If you harm him, Captain Zaraki-" Retsu started.
"Relax. It's all part of the plan, remember?" he cut her off before he jumped out the window.
Retsu thought he was taking things a bit too far. But then again, she never asked him exactly what he was going to do to get Kenshin out of his slump when she sent him that hell butterfly last night.
'He is playing this part rather well, too well come to think of it. But that is what Kenshin needs,' she thought to herself.
She was pulled out her thoughts when she felt something tugging on her hakama. She looked down to see Yachiru smiling at her.
"Don't worry, Braidy," she said cheerfully. "Kenny likes Kenny-Two; he won't hurt him too bad."
"I know," Retsu said with a sigh, and looked out to the fight below.
Ikkaku and Yumichika ran through the division building, alerting everyone of the fight between Kenshin and Kenpachi. Soon the entire division was watching from a safe distance. No one wanted to be in Kenpachi Zaraki's way when he was fighting.
"I hope you can give me a good fight, kid," Kenpachi said as he drew his zanpakutō. "This blade's been getting rusty."
Kenshin only glared as his opponent and took up his stance.
"When this over, you'll see how much of a mistake it was to underestimate me," Kenshin said, boldly. Deep down, though, the thought of facing his captain with everyone watching terrified him.
"Is that so?" Kenpachi asked, amused by his supposed bravery.
"In that case, I'll let you make the first cut," he said with a smirk.
"You'll what?" Kenshin asked in surprise.
"Like I said, you can attack me first. Cut me anywhere ya like. Disembowel me, stab my heart, slit my throat, gouge out my eye if you want, just get over here and attack me!" he shouted excitedly.
Kenshin steeled himself.
With a battle cry, he charged at Kenpachi with his blade raised his blade. As soon as he was within reach of Zaraki, he swung his zanpakutō down as hard as he could.
Silence fell over the crowd as they waited for the results of the attack.
Blood splattered onto the ground between the two Soul Reapers. Everyone thought that Kenshin had succeeded in cutting the Captain. Upon further inspection they saw that the blood had not come from Kenpachi, but Kenshin's trembling hands.
Kenshin didn't know what happened. His sword had made contact with his captain's chest, but there was no wound on him, not even a scratch. Then he looked at his shaking hands. He was the one that was bleeding.
"H-How-"
"How come you didn't cut me?" Kenpachi asked for him.
Kenshin looked up to see the taller man's zanpakutō raised and then swiftly come down at him. With only a split second left, Kenshin dove out of the way of the attack. Kenpachi's blade collided into the ground with large boom. Dust and debris had exploded from the ground that the blade had hit, which was now nothing more than a crater.
'That attack would have killed me!' Kenshin thought.
This wasn't like their first fight. Kenpachi wasn't trying to gauge him, this was an all-out-brawl and Kenpachi didn't seem to have any qualms about cutting Kenshin in two.
"Looks like your training paid off," Kenpachi said as he lifted his sword out of the crater. "You're a lot faster than the first time we fought."
"How come you aren't bleeding" Kenshin asked.
"Cause ya didn't cut me," Kenpachi said, matter-of-factly, as he raised his sword for the next attack.
"I landed the blow! I came at you with everything I had, but I'm the one that ended up bleeding!" Kenshin replied, blocking the attack and jumping out of the way of he full force of the blow.
"Ya think ya landed the blow, but ya didn't," Kenpachi stated as he went after Kenshin. "It's 'cause I'm stronger than you," Kenpachi said with a smirk.
"What do you mean?"
"Your spiritual pressure is weaker than mine. It overwhelmed yours and weakened the strength of your attack. You may as well have been trying to cut down the walls of the Seireitei," Kenpachi explained.
Kenshin stiffened at that last part. Was his captain really that strong? Either way he would not back down. He said nothing and took up a defensive stance once more.
"Impressive," Kenpachi mused out loud as he looked critically at Kenshin. "You keep your body loose enough so it can react to any action. There are few openings I could take advantage of, but I'm guessin' you intentionally leave them open to draw your opponent in and finish them up close."
Kenshin looked surprise that Kenpachi had him read him so well.
"How did you-"
"Been watchin' ya for years, kid," Kenpachi said cutting across him again. "I was makin' sure ya were gettin' stronger and I have to say, I'm impressed with the results. But still, it's not enough."
Sparing no more words, Kenpachi charged at Kenshin with his sword coming in from the side. Kenshin moved his sword to his flank and blocked the strike. Kenshin could feel the bones in his arm vibrate from the impact before he was sent careening to the side by the sheer strength of Kenpachi's attack. He quickly regained his footing and resumed his stance.
He glanced down at his blade and noticed a crack. His eyes widened, shocked. The force behind his captain's blade was too much for his own. After a few more hits he wouldn't have a sword to fight with. It all seemed futile.
'I can't give up!' he thought. 'If I give in now, everything he said about me would have been true.'
Kenshin stared down his opponent who only grinned and came at him again.
Kenpachi began a relentless assault of powerful strikes that, if they connected, would have most likely cut Kenshin in half. Fortunately, Kenshin was quick enough to avoid Kenpachi's zanpakutō. Instead of attacking, he was trying to find a weak spot or an opening on the raging monster before him. Still, something like that seemed impossible when he remembered how his first strike backfired on him. Even so, there had to be a way.
Kenpachi made another series of horizontal swings and Kenshin raised his zanpakutō and blocked the first two attacks. The force of the third swing caused the sword to go flying from Kenshin's hand across the courtyard leaving him weaponless. Kenpachi continued to grin in amusement and reared his arm back for deadly thrust aimed at Kenshin's chest. Thinking fast, Kenshin side-stepped the attack, the blade missing him by an inch, and quickly closed the gap between him and his captain. He wrapped his left arm around Kenpachi's outstretched right arm to keep him from attacking again and sent a right hook towards his face. The blow connected and Kenshin could hear a crunching sound. The pain in his hand told Kenshin that sound didn't come from Kenpachi, but from his hand. Kenshin winced in pain and jumped back from Kenpachi to nurse his limp injured hand. He tried to close his fist, but the searing pain kept him from doing so.
"How may finger's do you think you broke?" Kenpachi asked with a grin.
Kenshin only glared and tried to snap the bones in his hand back into place.
"You don't get to rest!" Kenpachi shouted as he charged at Kenshin again.
Ignoring the pain of his broken hand, Kenshin dived out of the way of Kenpachi's attack. He quickly looked around for his zanpakutō.
He finally spotted his zanpakutō and dashed towards it, not bothering to look back and see if Kenpachi was chasing him. Kenpachi was not too far behind and was already readying for a new barrage of attacks. Kenshin grabbed the handle of his zanpakutō, ignoring the painful crunch coming from his fingers, and turned to face Kenpachi, who was only inches away from him with his sword raised yet again.
The blade swung down.
The blow stuck the death knell to the already cracked zanpakutō, and most of the blade hit the ground with a clang. Kenshin stared wide-eyed in shock while Kenpachi's grin remained plastered to his face.
Kenshin just became aware that he was indeed cut by his captain. On his body was gash that stretched from his left shoulder to his right hip. Blood was flowing freely down his body and seeped into his torn uniform. He bit his lip to hold back his cry of agony as he fell to his knees.
Everyone looked on silently, as if watching the climatic conclusion to some grand show. Unohana however, had had enough.
"This has gotten out of hand," she said firmly from her view in Kenpachi's office.
She readied herself to jump out the window and stop the fight, but was stopped by Yachiru.
"You can't go down there, Braidy," she said. "Kenny's trying to teach Kenny-Two a lesson and he won't learn it if you stop the fight."
"I do not know how much more of a punishment Kenshin can take," Unohana stated, her tone void of the usual sweetness.
"Captain Unohana, the captain won't kill him," Yumichika began, "Captain Zaraki's methods are not those of other captains when trying to pull more power from the subordinates. He does care a great deal for Kenshin. All he wants is to help him grow."
"He's right, Captain," said Ikkaku. "It's nice of you to look out for the kid, but if you baby him, he won't learn anything."
Retsu considered their words. She didn't want to see Kenshin in pain any longer, however, she had to agree with the three of them. If she were to stop the fight, Kenshin's growth might stop then and there. As much as it pained her to do it, she decided to let the fight go on for a little longer.
Back in the courtyard, Kenshin was fighting through unbearable pain just to stand. It hurt just to breathe. He pressed his free hand to the wound and used the shredded remains of his shihakushō to try and staunch the bleeding. He looked at what was left of his zanpakutō. Only a small piece of the blade remained attached to the hilt.
It was over. His hands were bleeding, one was broken, he had a large gash on his torso, and now his weapon was useless. But, despite it all, he raised his broken blade to his Captain, refusing to give up.
Kenpachi looked at him with a frown and lowered his sword.
"Give it up, kid. You're not strong enough to beat me."
"Never!" Kenshin grunted out defiantly.
Kenpachi sighed, annoyed, and raised his free hand to his eye patch.
"Let me show you what you're really up against," he said and then lifted the eye patch ever so slightly.
Suddenly Kenshin felt an immense pressure; almost like going against the wind of a hurricane. It brought him to his knees and he had pressed his hands against the ground to keep his face from colliding with it. He couldn't even breathe anymore and his body felt incredibly heavy. It was like he was carrying the whole of the Seireitei of his back.
Feeling he got his point across, Kenpachi placed his eye patch back of his eye.
Kenshin felt the pressure leave his body and took in a much needed breath before vomiting. He started panting and barely had the energy to hold his body up anymore. He rolled to the side onto his back to keep himself from landing in the bile he had spewed.
He would never admit defeat out loud, but Kenshin knew he had lost.
"You disappoint me, kid," Kenpachi said flatly. "That was no fun for me at all." He sheathed his sword and turned to walk away. "When your wounds heal, come get your stuff and get out of my squad." And then he left.
Kenshin felt light-headed and welcomed his blackout. He wanted to wake up in the Fourth Division with a smiling Captain Unohana looking down at him and warm welcome into her squad. He let sleep take him.
Kenshin's eyes slowly opened and instead of seeing the usually pristine patient room of the Fourth Division hospital, he found himself in his inner world.
"Damn it…" he groaned and picked himself off the ground. "What am I doing h-" he cut his question short when he noticed the state of the fortress keep.
The walls were crumbling, the fortress towers were now rubble and fires could be seen everywhere. It looked as if a massive battle had occurred.
"What happened?" Kenshin asked out loud.
"A battle was fought and lost," said an all too familiar voice.
Kenshin frowned and turned to face the spirit of his zanpakutō.
"Why am I back here?" Kenshin demanded with a glare.
"I needed you to see this," it said gesturing to the destroyed fortress.
Kenshin glared fiercely at the spirit. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want to speak to the spirit. Still, deep down, the condition of his inner world had him worried.
"Why does it look like this?" he asked as calmly as he could.
You should know," it said his tone slightly condescending. "It was the force of the attack. You were there when it happened."
"What are you talking about?" Kenshin asked irately. "I wasn't here, I was fighting my captain."
"Exactly," the spirit said simply.
Kenshin raised a brow, but soon the wheels in his brain started turning and realization hit him.
"When my zanpakutō broke…" he thought out loud.
"That was only part of it."
Kenshin just looked at him, confused.
"You were utterly defeated physically and mentally by your opponent," the spirit explained, annoyed with Kenshin's lack of understanding. "This destruction is the result."
"It doesn't matter," Kenshin said with a sigh. "My time in the Eleventh Division is over. Once I wake up, I'll be in Squad Four and become member of Captain Unohana's Division."
"So you are just going to give up everything you had worked all these years for and run away?"
"What choice do I have?" Kenshin asked, annoyed. "I'm not wanted by my captain or you. Captain Unohana is the only one who cares about me."
"What proof do you have that neither I or your captain care about you?"
"You said it yourself all those years ago!"
"I said that you were not ready to know my name. Never once have I said I did not care about you," the spirit confessed.
"If you cared, then why don't you help me when I need you?" Kenshin snapped.
"You would not make good use of my power. You are so readily to throw yourself in harms way."
"What are you talking about?" Kenshin shouted. He was sick of how the spirit never gave him a simple answer.
"Do you remember years ago when you were just rabble from the Rukon District?"
Kenshin nodded.
"That gang… every time they attempted ill towards someone weaker then them, you took the blows. When the threatened your sister the day you met, you sent her away and allowed them hurt you in her stead."
"So what?" Kenshin asked with a frown.
"How about when you jumped in the way of that Hollow's attack a few years ago?"
"I was protecting my sister!" Kenshin growled angrily. "Would you prefer if had let her die?"
"What if you had died?" What then?" the spirit asked evenly.
Kenshin looked at the spirit, taken aback by his words. He opened his mouth to retort, but he found that he had none.
"How would you protect your sister if you were dead?" the spirit asked once more.
"…I don't know…" Kenshin muttered. "But what would you like me to do?"
"Stay alive," the spirit said simply. When Kenshin gave him a confused look he went on. "Protect everyone without throwing your life away. This is the lesson your captain and I had hoped you would learn."
"It can't be that simple," Kenshin responded.
"It can be if you are strong enough."
Kenshin considered the spirit's words. They sounded unbelievable, but a small part of him wanted to believe that it really could be that simple. And, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how much his sacrifice must have worried Rangiku. Then he wondered how much worse she would have been if he had died. He did not want to put her through that. As he contemplated this, the spirit's words slowly started to gain credence.
Then it all came together.
"I understand," Kenshin said, no longer angry. Instead he felt enlightened. "But, I can't do it alone," he admitted.
"I will help you," the spirit said, shocking Kenshin.
"Y-You will?"
"Yes. I can see it in your eyes; you understand. You have learned your lesson and are now ready. Use my power. Become a shield, an immovable force… a guardian spirit."
"I will," Kenshin stated with fire in his heart.
"Then call out my name!"
Retsu had finally had enough. She jumped out of Kenpachi's office window and quickly made her way to Kenshin's body.
Ikkaku, and Yumichika were morose because they had grown fond of Kenshin over the years and based on what they were seeing on the ground below, this would be Kenshn's last day in the Squad Eleven barracks. Yachiru was sad that she would lose her favorite playmate while Kenpachi was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to fight Kenshin again.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Kenshin's body began to hum with spiritual pressure. Ikkaku and Yumichika noticed that it was different from Kenshin's usual silver colored spiritual pressure; this one was black. It looked as if wisps of shadows were leaking from his body. Retsu also noticed that the spiritual pressure felt stronger despite Kenshin's broken form.
Kenpachi stopped walking and looked back at his defeated opponent with curiosity. Then he noticed, along with everyone else, Kenshin's body begin to twitch.
They all watched in awe as Kenshin slowly got up off the ground clutching his broken zanpakutō. He then took his stance and even more spiritual pressure poured from him.
"You don't know when to give up do you?" Kenpachi asked with an amused grin.
"I… won't… GIVE UP!" Kenshin shouted.
The black wisps of spiritual pressure became a giant black shadow. Everyone's awe turned to fear as piercing red eyes took shape within the black abyss. Kenpachi, however, only grew even more excited then before and drew his zanpakutō.
"Alright then, let's have some fun!" he said happily and then charged at Kenshin with his blade raised high.
Before the blade could make it's descent, Kenshin raised his broken sword.
"Guard, Kurorei no Tate!" he shouted.
Everyone watched with wide eyes as Kenpachi's blade was deflected. Kenpachi jumped back and looked at Kenshin's new weapon.
Attached to Kenshin's forearm was now a black, teardrop-shaped shield that was almost as long as his body. The smooth and reflective surface shined in the afternoon sun and at the round top of the shield were three sharp arrow shaped spikes that were nearly a foot long.
"When did you learn your zanpakutō's name?" Kenpachi asked.
"Just now," Kenshin responded. "I finally learned my lesson."
"I guess ya have," Kenpachi said with a satisfied grin as he sheathed his sword. "Now get yourself to the Fourth Division and get healed up. I want ya back here tomorrow morning training with Ikkaku and Yumichika."
"What? B-But what about our fight?" Kenshin asked in disbelief.
"We'll fight again when you're at one hundred percent. Also, I want ya trainin' twice as long to make up for all the time you missed."
That's not fair!" Kenshin shouted angrily.
"Well the life of a Tenth Seat ain't fair is it?" Kenpachi asked with smirk.
"Tenth Seat?" Kenshin asked, his expression changing to one of surprise. "I'm… I'm getting promoted?"
"Yep. As of right now you're this squad's new Tenth Seat, so don't screw up," he said and then turned to leave.
Kenshin watched him walk away with a mixture of confusion, elation, and newfound sense of respect for his captain.
"My captain… he mused.
An hour ago he was ready to pack up and leave for the Fourth Division, but now, fighting under the command of Kenpachi Zaraki filled him with a sense of pride.
"Thank you, Captain Zaraki," he said loud enough for the man to hear.
Kenpachi only grunted in response before heading back inside his squad building. Kenshin smiled and sheathed his zanpakutō once it returned to its sealed state.
"I'm so proud of you," Retsu said as she came up behind him.
"Thank you, Captain Unohana," he said, turning to face her. "I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be going to the Fourth Division after all."
"It is alright. This is where you belong," she said with a smile.
Kenshin nodded before passing out from exhaustion, a smile on his face as he fell to the ground.
There you have it. Next chapter: Nemu finally shows up and this OCxNemu pairing will begin.
In case my update takes as long as I think it will… Happy Halloween everyone.
R&R
