Chapter Twelve: "Where I Belong" By: Midorigrove
Midori woke the next morning and got dressed in her stealth uniform. She hadn't danced in a long time and this morning was no different. She decided that in this uniform, she would be able to train easier. She wanted to have that freeing feeling that her normal uniform did not give her. She placed her auburn hair in a tight ponytail on her head, her Zanpakuto across her hips, and left the 4th division. She was off to meet up with Ikkaku and Yumichika at the 11th division training grounds.
When she got there, she saw that Ikkaku was with Yumichika, and they were training some members from their squad.
She walked up beside Yumichika, "Your turn, today?"
He looked at her while Ikkaku was talking to the other members, "Are you sure that is what you want, today?"
Midori placed a loud smile on her face which caused Yumichika to back away a little, "I want to see your techniques."
"Okay, Zanpakutos or no?"
"Well, how about I teach you what I did to Ikkaku yesterday, and we can go from there."
"I thought you said you wanted to see my technique." Midori looked away from him, she wanted to hide the fact that she thought Yumichika wasn't really a fighter considering he didn't really want to participate, yesterday.
She breathed in hard, "Well, I think that you aren't really the fighting type seeing as yesterday you let Ikkaku fight me."
"I will have you know that I am a fighter. I can show you, but don't get mad at me if I mess your pretty face up."
Midori turned to walk away from the training Ikkaku was giving to the members of division 11 and Yumichika followed her. They could still see Ikkaku, but they were far enough that they couldn't interrupt their training.
Midori took her stance and looked at Yumichika, "You know how to flash step, right?"
"Of course, I know."
Before he could sense her move, she was behind him, "Good, duck," he ducked out of her way with his flash step, "Now, when you go on the offensive, use your flash step to get as close as possible to your opponent and add in a kick or a punch, like this."
Midori disappeared and then appeared close enough to touch Yumichika. She did not punch or kick at him, but he was close enough to her face that they could touch noses.
He was surprised by how close she was. He flashed stepped away from her, and she followed. She decided that she would not only receive their training, but she would pass on what she learned from Yoruichi several years ago. After an hour of flash stepping away and toward each other, they were tired.
Yumichika looked over at her sitting beside of him breathing hard, "This is serious stuff. Who taught you how to do that?" Midori looked over to where Ikkaku was.
They both had not tapped into their spiritual pressure, so Ikkaku did not even see that they were training.
She did not want to tell Yumichika about her, but it was like vomit, it came out without her wanting it to, "Captain Shihoin taught me how before the incident."
Yumichika stared at her as she got up from the ground and noticed for the first time the grayed tattoo on her left arm. She dusted off her uniform and turned around to face him.
"What is that tattoo on your arm?"
She grabbed a hold of it and smiled at him with a genuine smile, "It's a seal. Now, next step in the training. Come on."
Yumichika wondered about the tattoo, "What did she mean by seal? What is she trying to seal?"
He got up from the ground. He was tired but was recovering slowly.
"I want you to flash step to me and have the intent to hit me anyway you want. A punch or a kick. It has to be as fast as your flash step, or it will not connect at the same time."
Yumichika flashed stepped at Midori and threw a kick at her. She dodged it with her arm, then flashed stepped away from him. They went another round. For an hour, Midori and Yumichika traded blows with each other until Yumichika was caught off guard and Midori slammed her leg into his side, sending him flying toward Ikkaku.
Ikkaku heard him grunt in pain as he slid to land beside of him.
He looked down, "What the hell are you doing?"
Yumichika looked up, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Midori was running toward him, "Training, what does it look like."
"Yumichika, are you okay? I didn't think that one would land."
She reached her hand out and pulled him up from the ground.
Ikkaku turned to look at her, "So, are training him or is he training you?"
He looked different from, yesterday. His normal aggressive demeanor was kind of calm in a way.
Midori smiled at him, "I am teaching Yumichika how to do what I did to you, yesterday."
"That was a cheap shot, and you know it," his demeanor changed. He was hostile again. "I will fight you right now, Midori."
Yumichika rolled his eyes, "Today is my day, Ikkaku. You can have her tomorrow." Ikkaku watched as Yumichika grabbed Midori's arm and dragged her back to their part of the training ground.
"Not done?"
"Not in the least. Now we use our Zanpakutos."
Midori took her stance away from Yumichika and pulled her Zanpakuto out of her sheath, "Protect and Make Bleed, Seigi no Nai Seitoshi!"
Her Zanpakuto transformed, and her spiritual pressure began to spread out amongst the training grounds.
Many of the members Ikkaku was training paused to look over at Midori and Yumichika, "Who is that Ikkaku?"
"Is she part of our squad, now?" He chuckled at how they were impressed by how her spiritual pressure pushed down on them.
"She is just here to train, like you guys need to be! Get back to work!" Ikkaku wore a smile on his face. He could feel that Midori was stronger than yesterday.
"Will she continue to get stronger?" he wondered to himself.
Midori watched Yumichika transform his Zanpakuto, and then their training commenced. Midori ran at Yumichika letting her axes collide with the four blades of his Fuji Kujaku. She pushed into him causing him to slide back. He could sense that she was serious about her training. He charged at her this time pushing her back, but then he noticed that she was not using but one of her axes. He saw it out of the corner of his eyes as her left arm came up from his side view, slicing at him.
He jumped back, "What the hell?"
"What's wrong, Yumichika? Too much?"
She charged at him and flashed stepped behind him swinging her axes. He flashed stepped away from her, and then flashed stepped quickly close to Midori using his blades to slice at her. She blocked all but one of his blades that sliced her arm. She grabbed at it activating her Kaido immediately to stop the bleeding. Yumichika was surprised at how fast she could administer Kaido.
"That is impressive, Midori. How did you learn to administer Kaido that fast?"
"Captain Unohana has trained me for years, so it became like second nature, plus I loved how you used that move I showed you earlier to come back at me. Keep doing that."
Yumichika shook his head. He did feel bad for cutting Midori, but she acted like it wasn't an issue. He figured that she wanted to expand her training past what she could do naturally. It impressed him how she complimented him right after he had injured her. He was determined to help her no matter what.
It was around noon when Ikkaku came to join them. He saw how hard Yumichika and Midori was keeping up with each other. He transformed his Zanpakuto and came at Midori from the opposite side that Yumichika did. She felt his presence immediately because Ikkaku had a hard time when he was hostile to hide his spiritual pressure. She held her axes in opposite directions in order to stop their attacks. She then flashed stepped away from them and called forth her Soul Image.
Her twin appeared and took her other axe in hand. She fought Ikkaku for a while as her brown eyed version fought against Yumichika. This training went on till well in the afternoon. They all three were tired by this time.
Ikkaku feeling left out sat with his legs spread on the ground catching his breath like the others and began to complain, "Midori, you are going to teach me what you taught Yumichika today, right?"
She looked over at him while trying to find her breath. She still had her Soul Image sitting against her back. They both looked at him and nodded their heads. Yumichika was staring at the Midori that just fought with him. He got up on his knees and crawled to her.
He grabbed her cheeks and looked at her, "Midori, did you know your copy doesn't have your same eyes?"
"She has my dad's eyes. It was a purposeful thing I suppose I did when I found out I could summon her. She has always had them. It became a tactic so that people can tell us apart."
"If she gets hurt, do you?"
"In some circumstances. It really depends on if I give her any of my spiritual pressure." They both looked at the two Midoris.
"Do you not already give her spiritual pressure to make her appear?" Ikkaku questioned her.
"Not all the time. I can manifest her out of just need. My spiritual pressure is given to her when I feel the need to bestow it upon her, normally when I feel hers depleting. The only thing is, she doesn't speak or at least she never has to me."
Yumichika let her face go. She rolled her eyes at him which caused him to huff. Brown eyed Midori began to glow and fused back into violet eyed Midori. Yumichika had a question that he wanted to ask her since yesterday, but felt it was strange to ask at their first meeting.
Since Midori had earlier mentioned the incident that happened years ago and the rumors still circulating about her, he decided to ask her, "Midori, is the rumors true about you?"
She looked at him in surprise. She didn't realize that after so many years that people would still be causing trouble for her with what had happened. She did not know how to answer. She didn't know how they would react. Would they hate her like everyone else? Would they stop training her?
She looked at Ikkaku who was eyeing Yumichika, "I don't think she should have to answer that if she doesn't want to, Yumichika. Besides, do you really believe rumors." Midori felt relieved.
Ikkaku looked at her from the corner of his eye. She could feel that he too wanted to know. She got up from the ground sensing that it was near the end of her training for the day.
She bowed to them, "I helped Kisuke Urahara, but I was a foolish girl who fell in love with the wrong Soul Reaper."
She walked away from them. She was hurt, but she felt a little bit of the weight on her chest lighten because she could admit her mistake so openly without feeling horrible about it.
Ikkaku and Yumichika watched her leave. She had replaced her Zanpakuto on her hips, and her ponytail blew in the wind, "You really are dumb to ask her that."
Yumichika shot him a look, "Well, you wanted to know, too. Do you really think it's right for them to call her a traitor since she was tricked and used by him?"
"I think that Midori has to figure that out on her own. I believe that is what the Captain wanted her to find out for herself."
Yumichika thought to himself. He went over the kanji on Midori's arm. He then realized what it said, "Forbidden."
"Huh? What is forbidden?"
"The seal on Midori's arm. Did you not notice it?"
"No, I was too busy fighting her to stare at her arms. Why do you think she has a seal?"
"Who knows. She didn't say anything more to me about it other than it was a seal."
Ikkaku laid back on the dirt, "Maybe, she will tell us about it when she gets to know us better." Yumichika went back to thinking about Midori and her mysterious tattoo.
Midori walked toward the 13th division barracks. She had her head held high as she passed through the hall leading to Jushiro's room.
On the way through, she saw Lieutenant Shiba, "Hello, Midori! How are you today?"
"I am wonderful."
She smiled at him, and it was the first time she looked at him in a very long time. He noticed how intense her violet eyes were. He smiled back at her.
"Is Captain Ukitake in his office?"
"No, he is by the oak tree in the field."
"Awesome! Thank you." Midori skipped off.
He was happy to see her enjoying herself, again. He had thought for so long that she would never get herself back to the way she was before the incident, but here she was, happy.
Midori entered the field and saw the oak tree that Jushiro had been leaning against the first time she officially met him. She walked up to the tree making sure not to slip and fall. She looked around the tree to a sleeping Jushiro. His face was so serene and beautiful as the wind blew his white hair gently. She slowly positioned herself in front of him and peered into his face. She blushed. She loved to watch him sleep. His chest was rising and falling like normal, and there had been no issues with his treatments. She was happy that she was finally able to give in to him and let him love her. She cared about him so much.
Midori leaned into his face and kissed his cheek. It woke him up, causing him to cup her cheeks.
He looked at her with sleepy eyes, but smiled, "Hello, gorgeous."
Her face burned hot as he kissed her lips. She kissed him back. The feeling of his lips on hers electrified her. It sent sparks through her that she had never experienced before. It made her feel like they were meant to be.
Jushiro's mind raced with everything about Midori. He had wanted to see her all morning. He took in her scent as they kissed. It was honeysuckle mixed with her sweat. He realized that she had been training. He smiled in their kiss. When they stopped, he opened his legs to allow her to sit in between them. She sat sideways within his grasp, placing her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat was normal, and there was no raspy sound from his lungs. She was content.
"Are we in a good mood, today?" his voice was soft, but enough for her to hear.
"I am very happy, today. I spoke about the past for the first time, today, and it felt like a weight was lifted off of me. I am starting to let go."
He rubbed her back with his hand, it sent chills through Midori's body. How his warm hand made her chilled back feel so good. She moaned a little.
"That is good, Midori. I am happy now, too. It is because you are here."
He kissed her head as she sat there staring out into the field. She felt a sense of safety sweep over her. She had not a worry or care in the world.
"What is it about me that you like, Jushiro?"
Her saying his name caused his heart to beat faster, and his face to flush pink. He thought about her question, seriously. She waited patiently for his answer.
"I love so much about you, Midori. I love your personality, and how you have such a strong determination when you set your mind to things. The way you fidget when you are nervous. The way you smile, and how your eyes light up when you are excited. There are just too many things to list, but if you want, I will write them all down, and give them to you."
Midori pushed into him causing him to embrace her in a hug. She could finally take in his scent; it was the smell of peaches and the ocean. It was breathtaking to her.
She turned around to completely face him and sat back on her feet. He looked up at her. She began to kiss him, and he kissed her back. She licked his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth. She pushed her tongue inside of his mouth and explored. Jushiro's eyes widen by her welcomed intrusion in his mouth. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers into her hair, loosening her hair band, and cupped her head pulling her into him.
Midori pulled away from his lips leaving saliva trailing from her lips down his chin. She kissed his neck and then began kissing his chest. He pulled her back to his lips and began kissing her again. He did not want to push that on Midori, yet. She was getting her happiness back. He just wanted to be with her with no physical attachment between the two of them, yet. She could feel his reluctance to take this any further. She wanted him so much, but she slowed herself down. She realized that she needed to take things slow. They had just started this relationship, yesterday, and even though her body ached for his touch, she just had to calm herself. She couldn't just jump in too quickly. She stopped kissing his lips and hugged him.
She felt safe with him. She finally realized that this was where she belonged, beside of him. He hugged her back.
She whispered in his ear, "Thank you, Jushiro."
He kissed the side of her head. She sat back down between his legs and placed her head back on his chest, sitting sideways. They fell asleep under the oak tree in the field right outside of the 13th division barracks.
Midori woke up in Jushiro's room. It seemed that he had brought her there after he had woken up from the tree outside. She saw him sitting at his desk. She got up and walked over to him. She sat down beside of him and placed her head on his shoulder. He bent his head sideways to lay it on hers. She placed her hand on his leg and watched him look at documents. She felt happy sitting here in his room with no worries in the world, but that was short lived. Midori began to worry herself.
She thought about what she needed to do. What did she need to do for Jushiro? What could she do to make him happy? What did she need to do to continue to come and see him? She peeked up at his face. He wore a happy smile on his face as he looked over his documents on his desk.
"Jushiro?"
He peered over at her to see her peeking at him, "Yes."
She picked her head up from his shoulder, "Is there anything I need to do? Do you need anything? I don't want to become a burden to you, so if you need anything, please, let me know." All of these worries she had come spilling out of her.
He placed his hand on top of hers and stared at her, seriously, "I only need you to be yourself. I don't want anything from you, but your love if you want to give it to me. I only want you to be happy. You deserve that much. Don't worry about anything else. Also, you can never be a burden on me. I want you to feel free to tell me anything. I will always listen to you."
He moved his shoulder to get closer to her. He placed a kiss on her cheek making sure to nudge his face into hers. He wanted to reassure her of his love. She just sat there staring at him. She never thought just being herself was enough for anyone. She smiled and pushed her face into his shoulder so he couldn't see how happy she was. She felt like her chest was going to burst from the happiness she felt.
She hugged him hard from the side, "I love you, Jushiro." Those words were all he wanted to hear from her. A smile broadened his face.
When the sun went down, Midori got up from her position against Jushiro's back. She stretched and saw that he had fallen asleep at his desk. She grabbed the blanket from his futon and placed it over him, kissing his head. She wrote him a small note,
Jushiro, I went back to the barracks for the night. I will see you, tomorrow. I love you. -Midori (xoxo)
She ran her fingers through his long hair, closed the door to the balcony so the cold air did not get to him while he slept, and left, closing the front door behind her, quietly. She turned around and was face to face with Lieutenant Shiba.
He was smiling at her from ear to ear, "Nothing like what is in your head happened, so you can wipe that smile off your face."
"Midori, I am just happy for both of you. You both deserve happiness."
"Thank you. Oh, and Lieutenant, if possible, could you actually make sure he sleeps in his futon. He is asleep right now at his desk. I wouldn't want his posture to mess with his condition. Thank you."
She walked down the hall waving as she went. He noticed that even though Midori seemed frustrated, she was happy. He went into his captain's room and pulled him from the desk like she asked him to. Jushiro did not wake as he placed him on his futon and covered him up.
"Captain, you have picked one of the best women to love. Her care for you is beyond that I have ever seen. I wish you both happiness," he thought as he left the room, blowing the light out as he left.
Midori passed several barracks as she went toward the 4th division. The moon was high in the sky and it shown like a spotlight on the ground as she walked. There were not many people out on the roads to the barracks. No one was around to talk about her, and she felt relieved.
She entered the 4th division barracks and made it to the door of her room when Captain Unohana called to her, "Midori, follow me, please."
Midori walked with her, and they sat down in Captain Unohana's room. She looked at Midori's seal. It was still grayed out.
"May I replace the seal on your arm? Commander Yamamoto insisted."
"Yes, that is fine."
As Captain Unohana started resealing the seal on Midori's arm, she wanted to talk with Midori about her day, "How was your day? Anything exciting happen?"
"Just training and spending time with Jushiro, I mean Captain Ukitake."
She smiled at Midori, "Jushiro is fine when it is just us, Midori. I know that the two of you are together, so it is only natural for you to call him that. How is your relationship going with him?" Midori blushed.
She remembered back to their kissing by the oak tree, "He is a gentleman, and he is very considerate. He told me all I had to do was be myself, and it made my heart skip a beat."
"Well, Midori that is all women should do around the men they love. If a man really loves you, he will never want anything from you except your love, and you to be yourself. It seems that Jushiro is a real gentleman, after all."
She smiled at Midori, and they started gossiping like teenagers. After Captain Unohana finished the seal, Midori got up to leave.
"Midori, I am glad you are happy. I want to see you smile more often. Good night."
"Good night, Retsu."
Midori was indeed happy. Little by little, she started getting her life back to normal. She walked back to her room and entered. She laid down on her futon and stared at the ceiling. Her mind was flooded with all these thoughts about being herself. She wanted to be the cheerful girl that Jushiro fell in love with. She wanted to see people's faces light up when she came in the room. She was beginning to forget all the bad things that happened the year of the incident, and even if she buried them inside of her, she knew that she would find a way to be happy and keep them from resurfacing.