Disclaimer: The ideas and concepts used in BLEACH belong to Tite Kubo, as well as any regular characters. Most of the characters in this story belong to me. Thank you.
0
In the garden the servants and waiting women all were gathered and neatly seated to watch the surprisingly energetic Hoji train. This was his third straight day out of the week training, practicing his sword sings and his unarmed palm thrusts in the open air. Unohana had granted him full access to her home, but the gracious and nearly mad Hoji had stayed outside to sleep and eat everyday since he recovered. The only ones not shocked as they watched were Suichi, who was used to these exuberant displays of power, and Unohana who was able to calmly and passively observe on the deck of her manor.
"He's very serious about his physical state" Rei observed.
"He's a warrior" Suichi, sitting on the grass in front of her, explained. "I've seen him get jittery when he had to stay still in the sunlight for too long. If he doesn't train, I'm willing to bet his spirit pressure would build up ad he'd blow a vein."
"How awful" Rei sighed. "Being trapped in a life like that. You can't tell me he's truly happy, not knowing if he'll live through his next fight or not."
"He lives only to die" Suichi said. "He's told me that plenty of times. Shin too."
"They seem like decent men" Rei said. "I'm not too surprised that they have decided upon such a chaotic lifestyle, but honestly, such bland cycles of rest and unrest must get tiresome after a while."
"They make life interesting" Suichi admitted. "Personally, I don't get them either, but they get themselves so I can't exactly tell them they're wrong." Rei smiled down at Suichi , then carried her smile up to look at Hoji with her soft eyes. His brow was soaked utterly with sweat and his pigtail looked ready to come undone from the tension and greasy unknemptness of it. "I just wish they'd bathe a bit more. Sleeping near them is somewhat of a chore sometimes..." Suichi managed to pull a light titter from the stoic Rei before she became her passive, warm self again.
"Lady Unohana!" shouted a panicking voice form inside. A young orderly medic in training came running and fell down into a full, head-first bow as he approached Rei. "Lady Unohana, you must assist us! He...he's resisting!"
"He?" Rei calmly asked. "He who?"
"Shin Kenpachi!" the orderly said shouted. "He's awake and walking the halls with his sword! He could rampage at any moment and we would be unable to defend ourselves!"
"Shin's awake?" Suichi asked. "Hmm. I guess that explains this stabbing sensation at the base of my spine. I forgot just how to be properly terrified of him, he's been out so long."
"Please try to direct him out here" Rei said. "His skin has been isolated from the light for far too long. If he truly wishes to rampage, he won't be able to do it out here, as the sensation of the sun will be too much for him to handle all at once."
"We-we'll try, my Lady" the orderly said in a panic. He got back up and ran back down the hall, keeping a hand on his sword. Just as he rounded a corner, Rei saw him flying back from it and slamming into the wall. Then, from that corner, a stern figure of black came marching. It was Shin, looking tired and serious as always. Suichi got up and started towards him.
"You're finally up!" Suichi yelled. Everyone looked back to confirm the hideous sense of danger in their backs, and even Hoji held his sword in ready position over his head to glance over his shoulder. Shin, having abandoned a swift and somewhat stylized escape, had the futon he was blanketed with wrapped around him and hemmed up like a kimono.
"Was I out?" Shin asked. He met Suichi halfway and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "You haven't been working your deltoids. If you want a ridiculous body like mine, you'll have to actually work at it."
What? Suichi said internally. This behavior, to his knowledge, was most un-Shin like. "Wh-w-uh-what?" Suichi verbally stammered.
"Where's Hoji?" Shin asked. He looked over Suichi's shoulder and saw the very stern and emotionless woman attempting to stare him down with an invisible wave of pressure. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing at Rei. Unconsciously, he released his own pressure to counter hers and it nearly blew her away. Her blank irises shrank exponentially and her eyes shot wide open.
What is this monstrous power!? Rei demanded. I can sense that he isn't even trying and he's already overpowered my submission force? What terror is this man...?
"Yo, SHIN!" Hoji yelled. Shin finally looked over and saw Hoji in a far-spread ring of observing spectators. Shin started walking over, the bystanders forming a wide breadth for him to walk through, and he stopped short of the beginning of the training circle.
"How've you been?" Shin asked, arms crossed.
"Great" Hoji replied. "How was death?"
"He's a jack-ass" Shin scoffed. "You've been training?"
"Wanna help?" Hoji asked.
"Surely" Shin agreed. He discarded his heavy cape and his tattered robes to train next to his favorite student with his still unhealed but minor battle wounds visible. His back and stomach were bruised from the force that incapacitated him, and his arms looked like they were recently burned.
"Did you learn anything from your dreams?" Hoji asked as he and Shin made synchronized movements with their swords.
"I don't feel like lying to you so early in the morning" Shin answered. "Just shut up and train."
"Tch." Hoji scoffed with a grin. "It's hard to stand being your friend sometimes...just sometimes."
0
After the first few hours of sparring and the month without food, Shin was stalking the halls of the manor with Hoji in tow looking for something to eat. Any pantry he could raid and any meal he could steal would do. Suichi, meanwhile, attempted to clear his way as the entire staff of Unohana's home feared Shin above anyone else. His presence now invoked a mad sense of dread and death that only came by holding a sword to one's throat. Suichi could recognize that fear, although he didn't actively respond to it, and Hoji didn't care about it. In the back of his mind his only real though was the relief that Shin was up and about, better than ever.
"Uuuuugh" Shin groaned. "Fooood...just an apple or eight, maybe some ribs. I'd eat a Holloe if one's around. Please, food...my mouth...please..."
"Tch" Hoji scoffed. "Listen to you whine. A measly month without eating and you sound like a damn child. What's wrong with you."
"It's hard to be manly" Shin explained "when you're teetering at the edge of starvation. Besides, how else am I supposed to get some service. All these jerks are hiding form me."
"In their defense" Suichi began "you are pretty frightening...and you do have your sword out." It was true, of course. Shin was allowing his sword to breath the open air just like him, and so he let it hang at his waist out of its sheathe.
"Leave Shikei alone" Shin demanded.
"That's its name?" Suichi said with a quiver of fear. "It's...fitting." It's too fitting. A sword called 'Death Penalty'...may as well tattoo your chest with the phrase 'you're going to die now'...
"Wait" Hoji ordered. He sniffed the air with his nose up high, taking in large wiffs at a time, and unsheathed his own sword suddenly. "I smell it. There is food nearby!"
"Hooray" Shin cheered emotionlessly. "What's your sword have to do with it?"
"It can control the air" Hoji said, "so maybe she can lead us to the food based on where the smell's coming from."
"Wait" Shin demanded, "'she'? You're sword's female?"
"Yeah" Hoji answered. Shin and Suichi began building up a light laughter that soon became whole chuckles.
"Oh, you're such a manly man" Shin joked. "It shows in your soul, doesn't it!" Shin then burst out in full laughter with Suichi quickly following. Hoji bit his lip to try and hold his anger, but it proved useless. He dashed at Shin with his sword, forgetting about why he got it out, and made a hasty swing. Even while laughing, Shin was able to pull out his sword and block it. Something felt seriously wrong as Hoji's sword stayed on Shin's, so he quickly pulled away.
"Eh?" Shin grunted quizzically. Hoji turned around and saw Rei standing and staring oddly at them all, like she was observing wild animals in some unknown ritual. Then, after seeing Shin doubled over and holding his stomach in pain, she couldn't help but give in with a short, quiet laugh. "Eh?" Shin grunted again.
"Use words" Suichi chided.
"You people are quite interesting" Rei remarked. "Sir Kenpachi, if you wish to eat all you must do is inform me. I will make sure you are given the most medically sedative meal your body can handle."
"Is that good?" Shin asked, not totally understanding his hostesses vernacular.
"Yes" Rei simply answered. "Please though, you must tell me of your travels and battles. I am anxious with curiosity about your battles with the Kyuuhiouto and the giant, nosed Hollow."
"Ah, that" Shin said. "Nah, I'm tired of talking about that thing. IT was just another stupid Hollow. That Adjuchas bastard Danzig gave me a pretty decent fight, though."
"Adjuchas?" Rei repeated. "I was unaware the Hollows in the outlying areas had reached such a state already. If the patterns are correct..." and she stopped mid-sentence to look up very nobly at her guests. "So, what would you like to eat?"
"Can you back up a step?" Shin asked.
"If you wanna hear about our fights" Hoji proudly began "just sit down with us to eat and we'll tell you. I'm all for it, are you Shin?"
"Sure thing" Shin said. "I have some questions too, actually. Namely about those damn Hollows."
"I'd be more than happy to answer your questions" Rei said. "There is one thing I'd like you to do after we have had our meal, however. Just so I can get to know you three a little better."
"What's that?" Suichi asked.
"I'd like to spar with you" Rei said. The boys, particularly Hoji and Shin, were taken aback and straightened up in response. Shin, however, quickly doubled back down out of the pain in his empty, concave stomach.
"Agreed" Shin said. "Now let's eat. I'm seriously contemplating eating my own damns word right now!"
"He'll do it!" Hoji shouted. "He's eaten the bark off a tree before out of hungry madness! SOMEONE GET US SOME DAMN MEAT!!!" Rei chuckled lightly at the antics of her guests but Suichi remained stern. He was the only one who took that offer seriously, as he knew just how serious she was about it. Suichi had a better grasp of not only his current surroundings but the proper world of nobility that Shin and Hoji ever would. He knew the dangers of engaging Rei Unohana in anything more dangerous than a game of Shoji.
No assassin had ever entered this complex with the mission to take a life and came back alive. She was the true monster here...
