Memories – Chapter 22

The Challenge

(One year before Prologue, in the Soul Society, Seireitei)

It took about half an hour to gather enough people to make the challenge valid – news travelled fast in the Seireitei. Now Fumiko stood facing Lieutenant Hisagi in the training grounds of the ninth Squad, surrounded by a crowd of people.

Lieutenant Kiba from Squad 3 had brought a number of his Squad members, as had – to Fumiko's surprise – Captain Ukitake, apparently well enough to be out of bed again. He stood a little ways off to the side, flanked by his two third seats, bickering as ever.

Behind Lieutenant Hisagi stood what looked like the entirety of Squad 9, some of them looking smug, others excited. Scattered among them were Renji and a few members from other Squads – what shocked Fumiko most though was that she could also see the Head Captain and his Lieutenant in the crowd.

She had expected a raging anger inside her head, but Nami had been suspiciously silent ever since she had accepted the Lieutenant's challenge.

Hey. Are you with me in this?, she asked, trying not to let the many faces turned towards her distract her.

I'm never against you, Nami said after a pause, and Fumiko couldn't deny the relief she felt at hearing her voice. I still don't think this was a good idea.

Fumiko knew she had a point, but she also knew that the only way to convince a person like Hisagi was to prove herself. Of course they would resent her – she was, after all, still a human, despite being able to use a Zanpakuto. And yes, these were 'troubled times,' but she would have been naïve to expect anything but skepticism towards her in the beginning. Maybe this way she could change their minds about her early on.

Or you'll make them fear you, Nami said quietly.

Fumiko was silent, pondering those words, as Hisagi stepped up, away from the rest of the Squad, who were watching with smug smiles on their faces, no doubt expecting to see their Lieutenant triumphant.

"I didn't want to be the ninth Squad's Captain," he said, speaking louder above the low murmur of voices around them. Heads turned in his direction, and the Shinigami quieted down.

"We were all hoping for Captain Tousen to return – but I'm sure we knew that he wouldn't. I was one of the first to say we were fine without a Captain, and I stand by that. And now, look what they've assigned us. A human girl.

I said I was fine without a Captain, and I didn't want to be one. But before I obey the orders of the likes of her, I'll defeat her and become Captain myself!"

A brief cheer followed these words. They seemed to strengthen his resolve.

"Those are the rules, are they not? Before a witness of 200 Shinigami, Captain Yoko, I challenge you. If you are defeated by me, you will never show your face within the ninth Squad again!"

The Squad behind him cheered, as did some of the Shinigami from other Squads. Some didn't, though. Some, like the Head Captain and Captain Ukitake, stood silently, watching, waiting.

Hisagi pointed his Zanpakuto at her, still in its sealed form. "Are you ready?"

She returned his gaze calmly, which made him strangely angry.

"I won't go easy on you," he said warningly, "not because you're a human or a woman. I'll prove the Captains of the Gotei 13 wrong for choosing you."

She smiled shortly. "I'd be concerned if you weren't confident about this, Lieutenant Hisagi. And I'm ready."

He scowled at hearing her say his name, displeased that she didn't seem at all afraid of him, or at least uneasy. It made him angry at himself, and even more determined to beat her and show her where her place was.

Normally he didn't mind women leading Squads. He had great respect for Captain Sui Feng and Captain Unohana, and he knew they would easily beat him in any fight. He also knew that Rangiku was a very strong fighter and that she was to be feared when she got serious.

But this girl… he just couldn't bring himself to accept her as his Captain so easily.

He was furious at the amount of trouble she had already brought the Soul Society in the short time she had been there, and she was only one little human! And apparently one who didn't have her powers under control, either. She wasn't like Ichigo, who just kept getting better and better, and who, as Hisagi grudgingly had to admit, was actually kind of useful.

It sickened him to bow down to her without a fight. In his eyes – and how could he have thought about it differently – she was spoilt and had somehow gotten what she wanted. It was probably just a game to her, this whole war against Aizen was merely a way for her to gain power. She was most likely actually weak and used some sort of trick to fool the Captains into believing she had this enormous power…

He was determined not to lose to her. He would prove that it was hard work to become a Shinigami, and that you didn't just get what you want for being persuasive – or whatever the hell she had pulled to get to where she was.

His eyes passed over the crowd. He had said his piece. He was ready to do this, but she showed no sign of moving. She was waiting him out.

I won't bow down to her.

And he charged.

"Reap, Kazeshini!"

In truth, he disliked Kazeshini's shikai form. He preferred to fight with his Zanpakuto sealed – but this wasn't a Hollow he was facing. He might as well get it over with quickly.

The sword in his hands changed to two double-sided scythes, connected by a long chain. With a twist of his left wrist he set one of them rotating, a whizzing sound filling the air.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the blade – he suspected she had heard about his weapon, but she hadn't faced it before.

Without giving her any more time to think, he lunged forwards, throwing the spinning weapon straight at her.

His would-be Captain blinked, regaining her composure, and jumped into the air, avoiding the blade completely.

Use your sword! Don't mock me, fight back!

Slowly she sank back to the ground, but Hisagi didn't give her that much time. He immediately swung the second blade towards her while reeling the first one back in on its chain.

This time she was forced to unsheathe her sword and block the attack with it.

Hisagi grinned. He had been waiting for this.

With a swift movement of his arm he wrapped the chain of his sword around hers and pulled, hard.

This was enough to disarm most opponents quickly and force them to surrender.

I've got you.

Not so with this opponent.

"Splash."

Hisagi's blades swung back at him with the force he had applied, but he did not hear the clatter of the enemy's sword on the ground like he had anticipated. Instead, he felt something splash at his face and hands. It felt like droplets of water.

Irritated, he brushed across his face with his sleeve – and it came away stained with blood.

Blood?

But why? When had she… and how?

Only now did he feel something stinging on his face. Tiny wounds, as if she had stabbed him with a thousand needles.

He stared over at the girl, who was holding a sword that looked very much intact.

There was not a trace of water left on his skin.

This- this is her shikai…?

His eyes widened.

She returned his gaze innocently, smiling slightly.

How he hated that smile already. Hated her for humiliating him.

She was underestimating him. He wouldn't go down that easily.

He raised Kazeshini again, hurtling one half of it at his opponent, but again Fumiko dodged. Hisagi let out a short, angry yell and rage filled his face.

"Attack me!" he yelled at her, furious that she was merely dodging.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't you rather throw your sword at me -"

He did exactly that without waiting for her to finish, slashing it back and forth at breathtaking speed.

"Splash," Fumiko said again.

And this time he saw it. Her blade shattered into thousands of droplets of water, and they shot towards him through the air. Many of them bounced off his kimono and fell to the ground, forming small puddles all around him. A few of the drops sliced his skin – the cuts were neither deep nor long, but extremely painful, like being stung by needles.

"Enough playing," she said quietly.

Before he could reply something angrily, a wall of water rose up around him, enclosing him completely. Through it he could see her stepping closer, and raising the hilt of her sword – the only thing that remained in her hand – above her head.

The second she did so, all the air drained from the capsule she had created around him, and it began to fill with water at an alarming speed.

"Wha-"

His voice was silenced by the water that filled his mouth – but it didn't feel like water at all. It burned, and the metallic taste of blood hit his tongue.

He choked, losing his footing as his hands shot up to his throat, the water stopping him from falling. He was suspended in a bubble, pain numbing all his senses, his lungs aching for air just as his insides convulsed in agony.

This- this is-

"Enough!"

The voice sounded so, so far away.

Fumiko blinked, suddenly back, back in the training grounds of the ninth Squad, back in the world where this was a challenge, a challenge, not a death match. A challenge.

"Enough," she heard herself say, her arms dropping to her sides, Nami's hilt lose between the fingers of her right hand.

The water around Hisagi dropped to the ground, as did the Lieutenant. He retched, then coughed into his hand, his fingers coming away red with blood.

She stared, not fully comprehending the scene before her.

Blood – so much blood –

Only now did she realize that a voice was calling her name.

Fumiko! FUMIKO!

She gasped softly, then steeled herself.

Nami? What-

What do you think you're DOING?!

A/N: Well hello there, everyone. Anyone? Whoever is still reading this.

Wow, it's been a long time. Almost two years.

Yes, I'm still alive. Yes, I'm still finishing this. No, I have no excuses except life. Life happens. To all of us I guess.

I'm so sorry to all my loyal readers who have been waiting for so damn long. The wait is over, friends. I hope I am not too late. Also I hope you will forgive how much my writing might have changed. One day I will rewrite the entire fiction with my improved skills. For now, this chapter is unbeta-ed so I hope you'll forgive any mistakes I've made.

Feedback is, as always, greatly appreciated. I will be back.

~ZoeTsunami