Chapter Twenty Nine:
The President Is a Joke
"You WHAT?" Again, all it seemed that Valencia ever did was yell at Kisuke.
"Jeez! You could just say no!" He flared back at her.
"Who do you think you are kidding? You like that Yoruichi girl."
"So? You like that Ukitake guy, your teacher. He's old! That's creepy." Kisuke countered. "Besides, Yoruichi would never go with me! She's royalty."
"Wow. So, am I your second choice or backup plan?" Valencia said bitterly. "Besides, Ukitake is a great man, and he is not old!"
"You're stupid."
"So are you."
The couple brooded separately, in their own silence. The graduation ceremony was a week away, and students were pairing up to go together. There would be a dance afterwards, a banquet beforehand, and a listing of graduates and the handing out of diplomas.
It was the end of their two years at the shinigami academy.
"So you don't want to go with me?" Kisuke finally broke the silence. "Fine." He turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Valencia called.
Kisuke stopped, and turned around.
She could have sworn there was a spark of cockiness in his eye.
Damn you, Kisuke Urahara.
"I… I'll go, I guess." Valencia muttered.
"What was that?" Kisuke humorously put his hand behind his ear. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."
"I said I'll go with you to the graduation!" Valencia yelled, face red, embarrassed.
Damn you, Kisuke Urahara.
The dance was beautiful, with a classical theme of traditional Japanese dress. All the girls wore brilliant kimonos; all the boys wore hakatama pants and robes.
Valencia showed up with her blonde hair neatly braided and wrapped in a bun, with several green butterfly clips. Her kimono showed butterflies in a delicate blend of lavendar, green, black and gold. Of course, Kisuke had gotten it for her. Although he didn't put in any effort for himself. His hair was undone as usual, his hakatama pants looked wrinkled like they'd been sitting on the floor for a long time, and his robe was ruffled. Valencia looked the wealthy heir here, not him. He looked scruffy.
They ran into Darth and Hiyori, who had gone together by some random chance of luck. However, they were a bad match and were awkward around each other. They mostly avoided the other the whole night.
The actual graduation seemed to drag on forever as a ridiculously long list of graduates was recited. It was very boring, actually.
The banquet was okay, she decided. It could have been worse. If all else failed, it'd had good sushi.
But the dance was amazing. For a moment, Valencia almost felt like princess, with the glowing paper lanterns swaying in the moonlight. Colored streamers and ribbons festooned the ceiling. A string quartet featuring western instruments (which made no sense as it was a traditional Japanese theme) was also there, playing the music.
For a while, Valencia danced with her friends, while Kisuke went and did… whatever Kisuke did. She honestly didn't know.
"Woot! Go Hiyori!" A circle of people were gathered around ,watching Hiyori dance. She was quite good. The crowd cheered and yelled as she moved to the furious fiddle music playing in the background.
Valencia laughed and joined the circle. She booed with everyone else when the song ended and the quartet played a slower piece. Hiyori stopped, panting.
"That was great, Hiyori-chan!" Valencia cheered. "I didn't know you could dance like that."
"Surprised?" Hiyori smiled. "Ha."
A moment later a hand grabbed Valencia's shoulder and pulled her away. "EEK!" She shrieked, losing balance and falling backwards. She crashed into a pair of lanky arms that held her tight, catching her. "Owwch," she muttered.
"Jeez. Stickytoes, huh?" Kisuke teased.
"Shut up! It was you that pulled me backwards!" Valencia retorted, immediately freeing herself of his embrace. She brushed off her shoulder. "What do you want, anyways?"
"What's with that attitude, Val-Val?" Kisuke pouted. "I thought we were dates."
"Strictly speaking," Valencia deadpanned.
"Oh, how mean. I was going to ask you to dance with me."
"Is that so?"
Before she could protest further, Kisuke had grabbed her and started to waltz with her gently to the string quartet in the background.
"Let go of me."
"No." Kisuke smiled at her, countering Valencia's stubborn pout. "You know, the theme was my idea?"
"You mean, like every other graduation ceremony's theme? They are all like this."
"Ah, but they don't have western string quartets. That was my idea." Kisuke said with pride. "And as class president, I got it."
"The class elected you as a joke," Valencia said heartlessly.
"Ah, you're so mean to me, Val-chan."
"I told you not to call me that," Valencia lectured.
"Don't be such a stiff. Even your dancing is stiff."
"Shut up. Not being stiff would mean actually moving with you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I don't want to dance with you."
For a moment they rocked slowly, awkwardly. Valencia forced herself to relax. Again, that fierce, wild beating of her heart ignited, like it had lately when she saw Kisuke. It was nerve wracking- but she sort of enjoyed it.
Kisuke moved her closer to him, and Valencia let her head rest against his collarbone. Only for a moment, she thought.
Just for a moment.
The next morning, Valencia received her reports that she was to go in for shinigami chair testing.
"How'd you do?" Hiyori and Darth dropped in behind Valencia as she read over her results.
"I got a 90% on the written."
"85%," said Hiyori.
"79%," Darth muttered.
"Ha!" Hiyori pointed her finger at him rudely. "That's cuz you're stupid!"
"Shut up!" Darth argued.
"Well, anyways," Valencia sighed, "I got a 60% on the offensive marks, though. It was pretty bad. But on the bright side, apparently my defense is incredible- 99%- because of sh'chi… haha because I just create a portal to race through. I win!"
"80%" Hiyori replied.
"90%" Darth turned around. "HA!" He pointed at Hiyori. "NOW who's stupid?"
"Shut up, you stupid idiot!" Hiyori yelled back.
Valencia sighed again and rubbed her forehead. Honestly.
"Well, besides that crazy Yoruichi Shihouin girl, we were the highest in the whole class!" Darth said, proudly. "Haha!"
"Huh, is that so?"
Kisuke suddenly appeared behind all of them.
"EEK!" Valencia shrieked, dropping her results. "KISUKE URAHARA!" She yelled.
"Ooh, I see. I got a 100%," Kisuke said, smugly.
"On what?" Hiyori asked.
"Everything."
All three of them stopped and stared at Kisuke, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
"B-b-but, that's like, captain level!" Darth stuttered.
"He probably cheated," Valencia deduced coldly.
"Aww, Val-Val-chan, you really are so cruel to me." Kisuke said. "Really."
"I told you to not to call me that…" Valencia's voice dropped as she gave up. Really, there could be nothing done to help Kisuke.
"You should just give up," Hiyori suggested.
"I know."
"Really? Fifth division?" Darth asked. "Wow. That's really great, Hiyori. And so fast. I didn't think you were nearly that talented."
"You should shut up now," Hiyori warned. "I'm your superior now."
"So? I'm of the sixth division. We're not that far away!" Darth retorted.
"I heard that Yoruichi girl was promoted to second division captain!" Valencia said. "Since the former captain was… er…"
"She was killed a week ago," Kisuke said disinterestedly. He curled his hair around his finger.
"I was hesitating to think of a delicate way to put it. You're just rude," Valencia said dryly.
"Urahara, what about you?" Hiyori looked at him, seeming bored. That is, probably faking disinterest- only because he'd done better than her.
"Oh, I'm, uh… third chair of the second division, I think?" Kisuke scratched his head. "I think."
"Wow." Darth said dryly.
"So you're under Yoruichi? Wow. You probably like that." Valencia said bitterly.
"Val-val, you're my one and only, and you know that!" Kisuke cooed.
"What is it with you and all the damn nicknames?" Valencia yelled at him.
It was three years later.
Hiyori had been promoted to vice captain of the twelfth division, and for some reason, enjoyed beating up on the fifth division captain, Hirako Shinji.
Valencia had been promoted to vice captain of the sixth division.
News of young and rising stars from the new class- Soi Fon of the second division, and the calm and mild-mannered Sousuke Aizen, who was immediately made vice captain of the fifth division, an unusual happening.
Darth had been killed in a battle by a Menos Grande while defending one of his comrades.
At first Valencia had been thrown off by it, but after a while, it all blended together. As vice captain, she watched the shinigami she had been given authority over die in her arms. She would meet new people one morning and hear about them being killed by that night.
It was worse with Kisuke.
It was like he'd sunk into madness. He was officer of the 'detention unit' in the second division- or, for dangerous shinigami. He could fend off mad prisoners five times his size. Yet, even as they tried to rip his throat out, he believed he could use them.
"Just think, Valencia, if we could find a way to use them. They could be incredibly powerful assets."
He grew 'interested'- almost obsessed- with one particular prisoner.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
He occupied a cell, locked up by himself, because he was so dangerous- intelligent. Kisuke had actually taken Valencia with him to visit Mayuri.
"He's really quite amazing," Kisuke said. "He's the only one who truly understands my ideas- he alone also dares to stretch his imagination like me. He is definitely a genius."
"Kisuke, don't be crazy. He is locked up in a separate cell. He is too dangerous to even be loose in this prison."
"Don't be silly, Valencia." He'd waved her off, and shown her to Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Personally, Valencia had been terrified. Mayuri didn't even looked human. He had a strangely painted face, and knobs instead of ears.
Like some kind of perilous machine.
Kisuke was also working on his idea, the one he had shown her when he'd first met her over ten years ago. His soul-changer.
"I will call it 'Hougyoku,' he said. "Imagine it. A device that could break the lines separating shinigami and hollow."
He often stayed late, studying hollows in the twelfth division's lab, taking notes. Valencia felt like she didn't even know him anymore.
"I'm afraid you're going mad, Kisuke."
"I'm just fine, Valencia. Don't be so stiff. Just think about the possibilities. Just think about what we could do."
Valencia knocked on the door. "Hello?" She called through the paper screen. "Kisuke?"
No answer.
She huffed and gathered herself.
BAM. Her foot burst through the door, knocking it off its hold and crashing it to the ground. It landed on a figure laying stretched out on the floor.
"OUCH!" The figure yelped, rubbing his head. "Oh! It's Val-Val!" His face automatically broke out in a cheery smile. "It's good to see you! But isn't it a little late?"
"By your standards maybe," Valencia replied, arms folded. "But that's not important. There's something you should know. I've been promoted."
"Ooh! To what?" Kisuke asked. "A captain?"
"No." Her words suddenly became heavy, and she looked to the side. "I've been promoted to division zero."
Silence.
"You've been promoted to the royal guard?" Kisuke's eyes widened. "Wow, and I thought third seat was special."
"Kisuke."
"Let's have some tea."
"Mhm. How about you let me do it. You always burn the tea or something."
"How do you burn tea?" Kisuke asked, scandalized.
"I don't know how, but you manage." Valencia deadpanned. "Oh, and one more thing. You need to shave."
Kisuke felt his jaw. "What's the big deal? It's just a little five-o'clock shadow. I think it looks good on me."
"If you call looking like an outlaw good." Valencia pronounced. "I told you, with your ruffled hair and with your eyes always in shadow, you already look like a shady character. And if you add stubble, you look like a really seedy guy. You'll be kicked out of Seireitei because people will think you're some kind of robber who sneaked in past the guards."
"Oi, Val-Val, why are you so cruel to me?" Kisuke whined.
"Shut up," she replied.
Five minutes later, they sat down at the table with their tea.
"Soo..?" Kisuke asked. "What's with the promotion?"
"I… reached bankai today with Ukitake. When I go there, I can… see the future. Only things that have already been decided, though." Valencia looked emptily at her cup.
"You what? Future?" Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "So now you're a fortune teller?"
"This isn't a laughing matter, Kisuke! Stop making fun of me! They promoted me because I was termed 'extreme special abilities' cuz I can change the past."
Kisuke didn't reply, only looked at her thoughtfully. "But wouldn't that change the future?"
"And present, and it is very dangerous. It could create a loop- when you're trapped in a cycle of time because something wouldn't have happened unless you had interfered- and if you've changed it, you might not interfere. See? Ukitake cautioned me from using it." Valencia said. "They also decided I was too valuable to lose, and so have removed me from the battle field."
"Well that's stupid. Aren't you a shinigami to fight?"
"No!" At this Valencia broke. "THEY'LL PROBABLY MAKE ME DO A BUNCH OF STUPID INFORMATION GATHERING MISSIONS! I WON'T let them take me off the battlefield! I want to FIGHT! I'm not TOTALLY helpless!"
"You could have refused the royal guard, you know." Kisuke said dryly.
Valencia rolled her eyes. "No. And do you even know what it means to be a royal guard?"
"You get to do special stuff?"
"I'm vice captain of the special abilities division of the royal guard."
"You got promoted that fast, huh?"
"Kisuke, you don't get it. Watch."
She pulled out her sword.
"Kisuke, you don't get it. Watch."
"Whatever," Kisuke said. "But let me clean up first. I spilled my tea." His eyebrows crinkled together. "Wait, what?" He looked down, surprised. "Why do I suddenly get the feeling of déjà vu?"
"See? I just did it. I went back in time and made you spill your tea a second ago. Do you remember spilling your tea?"
"I remember having it spilled on me… wait what?" Kisuke was confused.
"Exactly. And you didn't see me release because I froze time instantly so you didn't even notice."
"Wow. That's really something."
"Ha. I knew I wasn't just a burnout after all."
"Mhm. So, how's the fam?" Kisuke asked nonchalantly.
Valencia suddenly froze. "I… I haven't seen them in a while. I should probably go visit…"
"Ah, that's true. Family relations are important. Your little sister is almost like my little sister."
"Mhm." Valencia smiled gently, then drank the tea.
"Valencia, do you love me?"
It came unexpectedly, as usual.
Valencia swallowed her tea, and then choked. She coughed wildly for a minute, pounding herself in the chest.
"Don't hurt yourself," Kisuke said, totally unconcerned.
Valencia stopped coughing and glared at him. "You know that relations like that between shinigami are forbidden."
"Since when did I care for rules?"
"You're always so damn logical."
"Mhm." Kisuke smiled. "So, do you?"
Valencia's eyes shifted to the side, avoiding his gaze. "I'm afraid I can't. As part of the royal guard, I'll basically be very busy and stuff, and they'll probably lock me up. There's really no- time or space."
"You can manipulate time and space."
Valencia stood up. This was getting too awkward. "Actually, I have to go now," she said, setting her cup down. She got up, walked to the door, and turned to leave.
"Why are you making excuses?" She froze as he got up from his chair, walked over to her, and embraced her.
She let her head rest back against his shoulder, just for a moment.
Just for a moment.
