When the Healer's Bell Tolls
By Bubbajack
Beta/Co-Autor: IcySnowSage
Disclaimer: We declare that we don't own shit as per the advice of our legal counsel Suction Cup Man. "Fuck you! Look at me go!" Fate Stay Night and other franchises are owned by Type-Moon and Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo.
Ch.2: The Shark and the Empress.
'Mom and dad weren't kidding, everything does move faster in the human world, especially those things.' He thought as he looked at those colorful wheeled boxes of metal as they sped down the paved roads from his perch on a lamppost.
"Sasaki, get down from there!" Hisagi called up, "You've got a Konso to perform."
Jumping to the ground, he bowed politely, "My apologies, Hisagi-fukutaicho, it's just the World of the Living seems to have changed a lot from what my family told me of it."
"Just when was the last time one of your family members was even alive, Sasaki?" Hisagi asked conversationally, as he led the way back to the group where the young shinigami had broken off from the rest for some impromptu sightseeing. Hanataro wouldn't exactly call them friends, but there was a mutual respect between the two of them. Hanataro respected Hisagi for his position, and Hisagi respected Hanataro's strength.
"My mother passed away in 1868, the first year of the new Meiji Era," Hanataro replied, "She was only twenty-six."
Snatching a newspaper that was blowing in the wind, Hisagi replied, "It's 1951 according to this."
"Hmm things change quickly here… have we been doing Konso a lot lately? Or is it just me?" asked Hanatoro as he did the proper techniques of rest on another soul asking for salvation.
According to reports, a World War ended not too many years ago, leading to a lot of deaths all over. So the Shinigami have been working overtime to make sure all these extra souls make it over to the Soul Society properly."
Hanataro had seen plenty of run down looking Shinigami coming back through the Senkaimon most days. "Ah… that's not good, I mean, we can only do so much."
Running a hand roughly through his hair, the fukutaicho replied, "Yeah and since we can only Konso so many souls that has led to a rapid influx of…"
"Hollows!" The voice of Renji shouted.
"Fuck!" Hisagi muttered under his breath before he burst forward with a brief use of Shunpo, with Hanataro following behind shortly after.
The Hollows were large, each the size of a several story building and were groaning and growling like they were a cross between dying humans and angry animals. Yet all Hanataro could think upon seeing them was 'How did something so big manage to get so close without being spotted sooner?'
"Fuck its a pack of Menos Grande Gillians," commented Hisagi while obervign the situation.
Hanataro didn't have time to ask what the heck that meant, as he saw one of these Menos diving for an innocent soul. With a quick burst of Shukuchi he pulled the woman out of harm's way all while yelling, "Are you alright?"
"Yes… I guess I'm alright as I can be while dead," She sounded very depressed.
Huffing, he replied, "If you let that thing eat you, you'll be worse than dead, Miss."
"Maybe I deserve it. My homeland, my kingdom, my people. They have suffered greatly these last few decades. I am not sure how many I have seen pass or fall into despair. Sadly I have a very strong idea where these hollows as you call them came from. I could not bear to see it but I know where these tortured souls came from," was the depressing if not soul crushing emotion spoken from the soul that now Hanatoro got a good look at her. She looked more like someone from the soul society than the Living World.
"Look, it is my job as a Shinigami to protect you! You can complain all you want after I get you safely to the Soul Society, got it?!" He shouted at the woman in his arms.
Yet the woman shook her head, "I can't desert my people."
"Your people probably don't even remember your name, lady. If you really want to help someone, go to the Soul Society, there are hundreds of thousands of souls over there that could use help," He replied as he jumped over then on top of the Gillian that was still trying to eat the both of them as they argued. "If you stay here, you're hollow food, and then, who do you expect to help?"
"If you can't even save the living, then what's the point of protecting the dead?!" the women yelled as the hollow again tried to eat both of them.
"Look miss…?" Hanataro was growing annoyed by constantly almost becoming a Hollow's lunch.
"Himiko," was the quiet answer from the woman he had been trying to protect.
"Miss Himiko, to be entirely honest, protecting the living isn't exactly in my job description. It's my job, to send plusses like you, to the Soul Society to prevent you from turning into Hollows like them," He jabbed his thumb behind him at the Hollow that was still trying to eat them, it was persistent if nothing else.
"What good does that do?" She argued.
"Sends the mass of souls inside Hollows to the Soul Society, prevents the Hollow from preying on more Pluses, and is my actual job? Heck this isn't even my job, I'm a medic!" Hanatoro yelled in anger at the situation he was in.
Glaring up into the face of her would-be resuer Himiko accused. "So even the Death Gods have abandoned our people?"
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Hanataro rebutted, "Our job is to guide the souls of the dead, not protect the living. The living have their own police force."
Hanataro felt Hisagomaru vibrate in its sheath on his waist. 'What is it Hisa? I'm kinda busy right now?!' Hanataro shot at his Zanpakuto spirit.
"Hanataro," The spirit began, "Look at it from her point of view. She has seen who knows how many innocent people die here in the Living World. How many do you think she's seen turn into Hollows only to watch as they turn on friends, neighbors, their own children?" The Spirit paused for a moment before saying, "Think about that, now think about what she's asking you to do. Is it really that big of a difference between a soul that is stuck in a body and a soul that isn't?"
'Damn you both,' Hanataro thought to himself as he skidded to a stop and tossed the girl behind him as she released a squawk of indignation at being so casually tossed behind him. "Stay behind me and don't move," He said as he put one hand on his sword and another on his sheath, he waited for the Gillian to get close.
Sitting on her knees, Himiko yelled, "Move."
The Gillian was fifteen meters away.
"Get out of the way!" Himiko cried again.
The Hollow was ten meters away, its mouth open as drool dripped from its maw.
"It's going to eat you, you idiot!" Himiko cried as tears fell from her eyes.
The Gillian was less than a meter away when Hanataro spun on his heel avoiding the charge of the Gillian and he unsheathed his sword at the same time, dragging his blade along the flank of the Hollow as it dove past him.
"RRRWAAH!" The beast cried out in pain as it thrashed on the ground, only to realize moments later it was fine. It circled around the two cautiously like a wary wolf, trying to understand the odd prey it had found. None noticed how the hollow seemed to shrink a little.
"What do you intend to do?" Himiko asked, taking to her feet and gripping the back of his shihakusho.
Glancing at the gauge of his weapon Hanataro saw it was just under half full. 'Hey Hisa, wanna try something… experimental?'
"All medicine until proven through trial is experimental… So yes, do go ahead," The Zanpakuto Spirit replied, "Though I do wonder what you have in mind?"
"Well, Hollows have holes in them right?" spoke Hanatoro.
"Yes?" was Hisa's reply.
"Who're you talking to?" Himiko asked as she saw him talk to nothing.
"So, what do you think would happen if we tried to heal the hole?" Hanataro went on ignoring Himiko for a moment.
"Interesting… this requires… a medical trial," Hisa almost sounded giddy at the prospect.
"My thoughts exactly," Hanataro replied as he Shukuchi and blitzed the Hollow down. Before the massive creature could react, he was diving down upon its massive form, bladepoint aimed towards the massive hole in its chest.
As he pressed the point of his sword into the gaping hole, a miasma of smoke emitted from the wound and the hole, and the Hollow itself began to rapidly shrink. As the Gillain shrank, its form slowly became more aquatic gaining fins, and a more humanoid appearance.
"What… Are you… Doing?" The voice that came from the Hollow's mask sounded distinctly feminine, confused, yet not quite scared.
"An experiment, do bear with it won't you?" Hanataro asked clinically as the Hollow shrank again, this time to the size of a rather tall humanoid, its left arm was covered in a swordlike sharkfin, its body was definitely feminine and she even had a frizzy mop of yellow hair sticking out of her head.
"You… Do you have any idea what you've done?" The Hollow said as she looked at her new form in wonder.
"Not exactly no," Hanataro replied honestly as he stepped back, warry, but ready in case this Hollow decided to become a threat. "Tell me Hollow, what have I done?"
"I am… you have… accelerated my evolution… I didn't need to eat, to kill anyone. To reach the supreme state of Vasto Lorde. The screams, the rage, the anger, the voices have quieted. You helped the part of me that wasn't me," The Hollow Shakily took to her feet, unused to this new form as it kept staring down at its own body. "Such… such a gift," She locked eyes with Hanataro. "How can I ever repay you? Just who are you, Shinigami?"
"Hanataro Sasaki," He replied warily, slowly lowering the point of his sword towards the ground. "Who are you?"
"I… I don't have a name," She replied, feeling strange, 'What is this emotion? Is this embarrassment?' She tensed as the Shinigami slowly circled around her as if inspecting her. When he came to a stop where he started he said, "I think, if it's alright with you, I'll call you Tier, or maybe just Tia Harribel."
"Tier Harribel," The Hollow sounded out. "Thank you Sasaki Hanataro."
"If you want to thank me, stay out of the World of the Living, and maybe try to convince others to do the same? Though I'm not going to hold my breath on that," Hanatoro muttered under his breath.
With a slash of her blade-covered arm, the Vasto Lorde opened up a Garganta to Hueco Mundo. "Goodbye Hanataro Sasaki… we probably won't meet again."
After she had gone, Hanataro let out a long sigh. "Well, that was something huh?" He looked back at Himiko who was looking back at him with something akin to stars in her eyes. "What? Why're you looking at me like that?"
"So I was wrong! The Death Gods haven't abandoned us!" She said happily as she took both of his hands in hers. "You spared and helped that Hollow when you could've killed it. Showed mercy when you could've killed our people. I thought there was something odd about you. When I try to see your future, I cannot see much, though, I do not know why."
Hanataro blinked owlishly, "You can see the future?"
Himiko nodded enthusiastically which caused a certain part of her anatomy to jiggle. "Mmhm."
"Cool… Can I konso you now so I can go check on my friends?" asked Hanataro.
"No," Himiko said imperiously.
"Why not?" Hanataro sighed.
"Because," She clung to his free arm squeezing it in between her bust, "I'm coming with you."
"Oh, I bet Hisagi-fukutaicho is gonna love this," Hanataro said to himself as he made his way to where the others were, hoping no one was hurt. Oh how very wrong he would be.
(...)
When Hanataro arrived on the scene, he found a majority of his class was missing, 'God damnit, did they get eaten?' Hanataro asked himself. "Miss Momo, Izuru, Abari? You okay?!"
"Hanataro!" Hinamori's voice cried out in relief as she raced towards him with a smile on her face. "You're alright! Thank goodness I was so worried!" She hugged him briefly only to pull back upon seeing the plus who was clinging to him and ask, "Whose this?"
Glancing at the girl clinging to his arm, he replied, "A very clingy Plus by the name of Himiko. Where is Hisagi-fukutaicho? He didn't become a Hollow's lunch did he?"
"I'm fine you bastard," a wounded Hisagi called out, besides sporting a clawed cut on his cheek he didn't seem too badly banged up. "You okay Sasaki?"
"Yes Fukutaicho, I killed a Gillian. That wasn't fun," retorted Hanatoro with a level of exasperation in his tone.
"Really, and so young, most impressive," A new voice said curiously.
Glancing behind him, he saw someone wearing a captain's haori. He had messy brown hair, square glasses, and a zanpakuto with a hexagonal guard on his hip. Perhaps it had to do with growing up in the most savage and poorest district, but he could just innately tell this man was a snake. His smile seemed too genuine, his eyes too kind, it was like a mask that was too perfect to the point it was unnerving.
"I don't believe we've had the pleasure?" Hanataro asked, his tone was polite, but Himiko could feel the tension in his body and knew well enough to step away from him.
"This is Aizen-taicho," Hinamori almost gushed, "He saved us."
"It was nothing," He said, laughing a little bit.
Hanataro raised an eyebrow, "Though it is a bit odd, for a Taicho," he glanced at the silver haired man with eyes like a fox, "And his Fukutaicho to just so happen to be in the area when Hollows happen to be attacking a group of Shin'o Academy students."
"My, my," The fox eyed man said smiling jovially, "It almost sounds like you're accusing us of something eh?"
Hantaro shook his head, "No not at all, it's just… one must wonder what you're doing here, I doubt it's to do Konso, that's a bit beneath a Taicho, and his second seat."
'This boy is perceptive,' Aizen mused. 'And his… experiment with the Hollow, he has a keen mind,' Covering his mouth to hide a laugh Aizen replied, "We were here doing a survey of spiritually dense land, and just so happened to be in the area, that is all."
"How… convenient… for us," Hanataro replied evenly with an innocent smile on his face.
Hinamori was looking back and forth between her friend, and the man who saved her. Listening to Hanataro's arguments the hero worship began rapidly wearing off. 'Now that he mentions it, why was he here? It's almost… Too convenient,' Grabbing Hanataro by his shihakusho sleeve she led him away with a smile, saying, "C'mon Hanataro, I need you to take a look at Hisagi-fukutaicho."
Leading him out of earshot she whispered, "I know this seems odd, but the last thing you need to do is pick a fight with a Taicho right now."
"What do you suggest?" he asked casually even though heat colored his tone. "This stinks of a setup and everyone who came with us is dead except for you, me, Abarai, Izuru, and Hisagi-fukutaicho."
She grabbed his hand interlocking her hand with his and rubbing her thumb over his in a calming motion. "I know this is weird, too convenient, but it won't do any good to accuse a Taicho without proof."
They arrived in front of their fukutaicho who was still bleeding from the cuts on his face, and holding his side. Hanataro began administering treatment, using Kido on his side, "You've got a couple of fractured ribs there, Fukutaicho hold still and let me work on it."
"Gladly Sasaki," He said with a sigh as the healing kido did its work. "When you fix my face, don't heal it all the way."
Hanataro glanced up, giving the man an odd look. "Why? It'll leave a bad scar."
Hisagi grimaced, "It was my job to keep everyone safe. I couldn't do that, so I feel it's only right that I be reminded of that failure so it doesn't happen again."
Sighing, he moved his hands from his chest to his face, "I think you're being too hard on yourself Hisagi-fuktaicho, but I'll do as you want."
"Please… So, I heard you took out a Gillian by yourself?" Hisagi almost chuckled out.
"Yep," Hanataro stated as he healed the claw marks.
Hisagi was silent for a moment before he said. "You know that it's a big deal for a Shin'o Academy student to beat a Menos in combat right?"
"Pff, if that's how dangerous a Menos Grande is, I'm not impressed. I've trained under monsters scarier than that. Now please be quiet and let me finish," spoke Hanatoro while he thought of some of his teachers who would have killed him eighty ways to Sunday with how distracted he was with Himiko and Harribel.
Hisagi fell silent, mainly because he was contemplating Hanataro's words. Once he was finished, Hanataro stood, and wiped his hands on the hakama pants of his shihakusho, saying, "There, done."
Hisagi ran a hand over his now scarred visage, asking, "What's up with the Plus?"
Stretching, Hanataro replied, "Ask her, she's the one following me around. Apparently she thinks it's important that she does so."
Hisagi ran a hand through his hair, "Huh… did you try to Konso her?"
Hanataro shook his head. "She wouldn't let me, also she doesn't even have a soul chain but isn't a Hollow, I don't know what's going on with her."
"Yeah, that's weird alright. Okay, I'll run it by Aizen-taicho we might be able to bring her back through the Senkaimon. She's a special case for sure. We might need to get her looked at by Mayuri-taicho," stated Hisagi.
"Yeah let's just throw her to the person that even at the Academy is talked about like he's a psychopath… what could possibly go wrong?" snarked Hanatoro as he heard thoughts about the Twelfth division captain that made him want to NOT heal him if he ever got direly wounded.
Hisagi paused for a moment before saying, "... Yeah, maybe Unohana-taicho would be a better option," He moved stiffly towards where the taicho and his second seat Gin Ichimaru were having a discussion with the plus.
"-You will not find a throne, merely a tomb," Himiko finished, "If you even make it that far to begin with."
Hanataro didn't know the context of the discussion, but it had Aizen scowling and Gin was so shocked his eyes were wide open revealing they were bright blue in color.
"Himiko," Hanataro called, getting the girl's attention. She skipped over to him and grabbed his arm smiling.
"Hanataro-kun, you're back!" She said, giving his arm an extra hard squeeze briefly cutting off his circulation.
Patting her head, he replied, "Yeah, I was only gone for like, ten minutes."
"Umm, could you not cling to him like that please, Himiko-san?" Hinamori asked kindly, "More Hollows could appear and he might need to use both of his arms."
"No," Himiko replied evenly.
Hinamori frowned a bit, "You're being rude."
"I'm staying with him," Himiko replied.
Looking to Hisagi, she asked, "We're taking her back to the Soul Society right?"
Hisagi looked at Aizen and asked, "Sir?"
"That… would be for the best," The taicho replied after a moment. 'I need to know how she knows what she knows. Is she a shard of that thing? If so, she's just more fodder for my Hogyoku.'
"We should restrain her, just in case," Hinmori said with a smile on her face. "Bakudo One Sai."
Himiko's hands were suddenly and forcefully placed behind her back. "Hey, ow, this hurts."
"We're just being careful, please understand," Hinamori said as she led her to the Senkaimon gate that Gin had opened, "Please bear with it, until we can get you to the Soul Society."
Himiko looked back at Hanataro with watery eyes. "Hana~ta~ro~!"
He patted her on the shoulder, "Just deal with it for a bit, it won't take too long."
Himiko huffed, "Mmm, fine!"
Aizen ushered everyone towards the gate, "Let's get going everyone, I'm sure the Sotaicho will have questions by the time all is said and done."
Thus the remaining Shinigami and one special Plus made their way to the realm of souls.
(...)
Hanataro listened to Himiko "Oo'd" and "Ah'd" as she kept as close to him as she could with her arms tied behind her back, looking every which way as they entered the Seireitei. While the strange little Plus was doing that, Hanataro was keeping a close eye on the taicho and fukutaicho that just so happened to show up in the nick of time to save his friends. 'He's up to something, both of them are, I can feel it in my gut,' Hanataro thought to himself. Perhaps it came from growing up in the Eightieth District, but Hanataro was already expecting the backstab from people who were making him suspicious.
Yet, much to his surprise, they were led to the First Division. 'Okay, so the knife to the back isn't coming … yet,' Hanataro thought to himself as he and his friends were led into the First Division.
They were promptly greeted by a silver haired man in a western themed shihakusho. "Aizen-taicho, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit here at the First?"
Bobbing his head respectfully, Aizen replied, "Sasakibe-san, is the Sotaicho in? Something happened in the World of the Living that I feel must be brought to his attention."
The man looked at them all and Momo, Renji, and Izuru bowed to the man, Hanataro and Himiko however stared back inquisitively. "Hmm, he is in yes, I shall let Genryusai know of your arrival."
"Thank you," Aizen said bowing respectfully. Turning to them as he walked away he said, "You would do well to show proper respect to your superiors."
"You would be right, that you would… But I have yet to meet anyone who qualifies as my superior," Hanataro replied easily.
"I am an Empress, I bow to no one," Himiko responded imperiously, before she flexed her arms and broke herself out of her restraints. "There, that was starting to feel uncomfortable," She promptly grabbed Hanataro's arm. "Much better."
For his part, Hanataro decided to bear with it. "Fine, as long as it keeps you from wandering off."
Himiko nodded, "Mmhm."
Hinamori looked sullen. "You could've done that anytime you wanted?"
The Empress nodded, "Of course I could've, but as an Empress it is my duty to bring peace and relief to the people. If binding me brought you peace of mind, then I decided to allow it."
Aizen scowled for a fraction of a second at the comment, before he plastered his smile back on his face. "I see. Well, try to be respectful to the Soutaicho, would you?"
"No promises!" Both Hanataro and Himiko said at the same time, only to look at each other and smile a bit.
"Kids these days," Gin said looking back at the two and smirking a bit thinking of fonder memories.
Himiko, not liking the look on his face, hid behind Hanataro's shoulder. "It's okay, you'll be just fine." He told her.
She smiled, saying "I know, you'll protect me. Even if you're acting like you won't."
Chojiro came back moments later saying, "The Soutaicho will see you now."
The group was led into the confines of the First Division, Chrysanthemums were planted everywhere, and pieces of fine art lay on the walls. The floors looked newly polished, and Shinigami were rushing to and fro carrying reports.
"Busy?" Aizen asked conversationally as they walked past a koi pond in which a fish jumped into the air before splashing back down into its depths.
"No more than usual," Chojiro replied.
"What are they all doing?" Himiko asked.
"The First Division monitors everything, reports from every other division come here, are assessed and made note of, and filed away. If the Seireitei were an organism, then the First Division would be the brain. Storing and keeping track of information. Giving orders as needed to the rest of the parts."
"Ah, bureaucracy, how amusing. When I was alive, I ruled my nation as its Empress and though it was a somewhat lonely life, I ruled well for the sake of my people, " Himiko replied almost wistfully.
"I see…" Chojiro knocked on the wooden paneling of a sliding door. "Sir, Aizen and his group are here."
"Send them in Chojiro," An old but strong voice called.
"At once," Chojiro pulled open the door and ushered the others inside, but not before saying, "Please remember to be respectful."
The group entered a large spartan room, the wooden floors gleamed, and the symbol of the Gotei Thirteen fluttered from a white standard on the wall behind an elderly man who was sitting just behind it at the opposite end of the room. He was bald, with a long white beard, and of stooped figure, with a gnarled wooden cane sitting next to him.
"Aizen, what is so important you need to see me personally?" He grumbled out as he blew on a cup of steaming tea he was holding.
Aizen bowed, though Hanataro noticed he used the motion to hide a scowl. 'He doesn't like the old man.'
"Soutaicho," He said straightening, "My fukutaicho and I were surveying for spiritual land in the World of the Living when we came across a group of Academy students attacked by Hollows; these are the only survivors," He motioned to the students, who stiffened under the old man's gaze.
"That is… most unfortunate, and becoming increasingly common of late, but I do not see why you brought this to my personal attention," the Soutaicho commented.
"It is not because of them, though their actions are commendable and go above and beyond what is expected of first year Academy students, but rather this peculiar Plus one of them rescued from a Gillian. Come forward, would you my dear?" Aizen requested while waving her forward.
Himiko glared at Aizen for daring to try and give her an order, but she did present herself, but only after grabbing the sleeve of Hanataro's shihakusho and dragging him behind her. She looked at the Soutaicho directly in the eye and he stared back, as if in shock. "This one is known as Empress Himiko of Yamatei. To whom am I addressing?"
For a moment, the Soutaicho looked as if he had seen a ghost, then, using his cane, he rose to his feet, and was right in front of her before any of them could perceive him moving. He was looking down at her in shock. Reaching out with a trembling hand he touched her as if to confirm she was real. When he made contact, Genryusai muttered. "Sister, after all these years… it is you."
"Imouto?" She looked up into his eyes. She saw something familiar. They were tired, old, worn, but they were the same eyes that so many centuries ago would deliver her prophecies to the masses when she was the empress of Yamatai. "Shigekuni… you got old," She said, smiling before she hugged him.
"And you haven't aged a day," Genryusai replied, returning the hug with both of his arms. "I've been looking for over two-thousand years…"
Not removing her head from his beard, Himiko replied, "I could not leave our people to suffer, I couldn't… go."
"Always wanting what's best for everyone else, never once thinking of being selfish and thinking for yourself… typical sister," Genryusai said, patting her head. He looked at Hanataro. "You there, boy. Did you save my sister from a Hollow?"
"Shige," She beat him on the chest. Yamato would only have light bruises on his ribs later, "Be nice to Hanataro, he's my hero you know?"
"Yes of course," The Soutaicho told his sister. Turning his attention back to the boy he said, "Hanataro was it?"
Tipping his kasa, the young man replied, "Hanataro Sasaki, yes."
His gaze seemed to focus even more sharply on him as he asked the next question, "Did you really single handedly slay a Gillian class Menos?"
"I did," Hanataro replied, in the context that the Gillian was no longer a Gillian it was dead so to speak.
Seemingly satisfied, the Soutaicho nodded. "I am in your debt. Name your reward, and it will be yours."
Hanataro was quick to reply, "I'll take a raincheck on that, right now there's nothing I want, other than to get into the Fourth Division. And I can do that sooner rather than later, I don't see the point in asking you to speed that up for me. One can not expect instant experience after all."
"Hmm, a wise man keeps favors in his pocket," Yamamoto commented. "Very well… but as you are the only survivors of a Hollow attack your skills are not in question. I see no reason to keep any of you further at the academy. Consider this, a field promotion."
The students sans Hanataro bowed deeply, "Thank you, Soutaicho!"
"Your positions will be decided at the next taicho meeting, till then rest, and train," The Soutaicho commanded.
"And the… your sister Soutaicho? Her ability to stay as a Plus for so long in the World of the Living is… unusual to say the least. Shouldn't we have this… oddity looked into?" Aizen commented.
Yamamoto huffed, 'Of course Aizen-taicho wouldn't let this go.' After a moment, he said, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have Unohana-taicho give her a once over. Sasaki you were planning on joining the Fourth weren't you?"
"Yes sir," was the immediate response Hanatoro gave.
"Good, then you shall escort my sister there, and then back here," grumbled Yamamoto, thinking that his student should be able to recognize what was so different from her.
"Please and thank you are the words he's looking for," Himiko said as she elbowed her brother in the ribs, Yamamoto was pretty sure she cracked one of them. Clinging onto Hanataro's arm once again, she said, "I'll be in your care for a while longer Hanataro-kun, please continue to take good care of me."
"Umm, yeah, me as well Himiko-san," Hanataro replied, afraid the Soutaicho was going to fry him to a crisp with how his sister was acting around him. The glare the old man was sending him was not making him feel any better.
Seeing them off, Yamamoto thought to himself, 'I may need to visit Retsu myself soon, I've forgotten just how strong my sister used to be.'
(...)
Word Count: 5,235 Number of Pages: 13 Date Completed: 7/9/2022
(...)
AN: Hello everyone and welcome to the second chapter of When the Healer's Bell Tolls… which Snowy found under a boulder. Which is good, because having to write this twice would've sucked. Anyway we do hope you all enjoy and here's Snowy with an announcement or something.
I am completely going to be honest with yall. I have no idea how I lost this story. It didn't appear in the fold with the other chapters. It just appeared in a search of the drive today. I am obviously at a loss. I am going to go sit in the corner.
Magic Snowy… waves hands… magic. Clearly. Anyway we hope you all enjoyed this magically appearing chapter. Hopefully the next one won't pull a disappearing act as well. Till next time everyone this has been an Icysnowsage and Bubbajack Production! Peace!