Alright, guys, let me be completely transparent with you. These revised chapters will not have big changes to the story, they are still basically the same and was just… well, fixing mistakes + additional content. Sorry if you guys are expecting VERY BIG revision when they are just the same.
Because, hey, why fix what's not broken? (…is this the right saying?)
I forgot to mention that these revised/revamped version chapters are uploaded weekly with double updates (I don't want to drag this anymore if they're just the same). There are (estimated) seven of them from the seventeen chapters I wrote before. All seven are merged chapters, additional content, and edited mistakes.
Seriously, seventeen chapters into seven? o.O This is actually making me realize how short they are.
And the chapter after that (chapter 8 or 9) might take a bit more time (as I said, weekly update was sacrificed) to be uploaded.
(Chapter edited. There might be some minor mistakes.)
…
Longing, hanging, gazing, their presence noticed each other but they couldn't see the other.
As they walked through crossroad, a Butterfly traversed ahead.
interlude
…
The 14th District is a case of curiosity. No one knows the origin of its sudden prosperity. The Northern district where it's placed is supposed to be no different from the other. A lifeless road with an air of gloom hanging above their heads. But to the twist of fate, everything changed. A burst of life erupted, a flash of colors surrounded and then, the so-called Flower District is born as its offspring.
No one expected the 14th District's rise in status as Central 46 is left bewildered by this. Until this day, they still haven't made a statement of the people's opinion about the Flower District being alike to Seireitei, but rather, they simply left the notion alone. It is a wonder to some why Central 46 ignored 14th District's sudden escalation of standing, where they expected an attempt to dismantle the district as a rival but instead, they were met with an air of truce. Of course, the Rukongai residents didn't complain about this. They are sick and tired of Central 46's spontaneous injustice and Flower District appearance is a welcome fresh breath of air for them.
Along with its rise, the district also expanded the area. Starting from the 14th to 20th, they are now collectively called, now known as the Flower District of the present. Each district has its own… let's say the idea of 'entertainment'. The 14th District has the entertainment of 'desire', the 15th District has the idea of 'performance and theatrics', the 16th has the 'attraction and fun', the 17th has the 'violence and carnage', the 18th has the 'childish indulgence', the 19th has the 'romanticism and imagination', and the 20th has the 'physical exertion'. With these 'entertainments', the popularity of Flower District had never wavered since then.
Despite the liveliness of the district, a curious mind will eventually ask a question. What is the catalyst of the Flower District's rise to fame? Who led the idea to prosper the district? Why did the Flower District advanced for seemingly no reason? Is there an ultimate reason behind this?
No one other than the Flower District knows.
…
CHAPTER 2
Gazing Eye to Piercing Gaze
…
The house in question was ruined, dirty and full of dust. It was run down, full of holes and unhinged windows and door. Of a house in a state like this, this was a common sight in Rukongai. Multiple people in shihakushō entered the house while the onlookers watched them in the distance as they saw them talking to the house resident, a woman who wore a downcast, worried eyes with her hands close to her mouth. The people watched the interrogator, a Shinigami asking the woman who answers the questions with nervous sweat rolling down from her temple.
What happened to the woman that made the Shinigami questioned her?
Earlier when the sun above was between noon and morning, the nearby residents heard a scream of a woman. As they were about to briskly approach the house, the screaming stopped. They figured to themselves that the matter was resolved and went back to their respective business.
But the resolved matter that was supposed to produce peace, it instead brought a commotion.
According to the witness near the house where the scream was, a girl and a small Shinigami stopped by the house as both of them heard the scream. They both talked to themselves for a while before the girl grabbed the katana of the Shinigami and entered the house by herself. There was a bit of screaming and clatter before silence followed after it. After a while, the screaming returned and heard someone fighting inside. There was silence again and they saw the girl who hurriedly walking away from the house while clutching her face with the Shinigami following after her.
That was only the witness saw as both girls went out of sight. The witness soon after entered the house, and saw the woman at the floor along with the snake with a strange form that they had to back away in fright from its amalgamated appearance.
The witness wondered if—
"Is it possible for a snake to look like that?"
"Normally, it wasn't supposed to be." The male Shinigami answered the woman as he interrogated her. "But seeing that one exist, it is a strange snake."
The woman brought her hands to her chest. "I wonder if that girl is okay…"
The Shinigami raised an eyebrow. "'That girl'? What does a girl had to do with this?"
"She's the one who killed the snake. She saved me."
He narrowed his eyes under his glasses. "How intriguing. Do you know her?"
"Not really. I only noticed her living in a dirty tent at the side of the road." The woman trailed off with a thoughtful frown. "Now that reminds me, she was always a strange one…"
"What makes you say that, miss?"
She glanced up, searching for the right word. "…her eyes scares me."
"…oh?" He blinked in interest.
"I don't know, to be honest. She had this pressure with her that makes her unapproachable for some reason. Only few people dared to talk with her."
"Hmm…" He continued writing to his note at the information before stopping, putting his hand under his chin thoughtfully.
A strange snake for a strange girl…
What a strange event indeed.
…
The first thing Kanao registered was something of a familiar sight. White constricted walls along with the same constricting smell, the silence of room and the muffled noises from the outside; somehow she knows about it. From the back of her head, from the depths of her being.
She found it nostalgic yet she had no memory of it.
"Looks like you're awake."
She glanced at the voice near at the door to see a black-haired woman standing, smiling with gentle eyes. She had a black attire similar to the kid shinigami but she had something white garment over it. Kanao figured she must be someone of a higher standing.
"It is a good thing that Lieutenant Kusajishi immediately brought here. If it wasn't, the poison inflicted on you would have been a lasting damage on you."
Kanao blinked. Lieutenant Kusajishi? Is she talking about the little Shinigami?
The woman smiled. "It was the little one who brought you. She's the Lieutenant of Eleventh Division. Her name is Kusajishi Yachiru."
She stiffened. What…? How did she know what she was thinking? Aside from that, she just said something disturbing… "Lasting damage?" Kanao inquired curiously.
The woman approached her and dragged a chair beside her bed. "Yes. The poison that got you was not an ordinary one. Normally, ordinary poisons can only inflict Reishi or the physical body, but the poison on you seems to target your Reiryoku which almost interrupts your natural flow of your Reishi, which, in a sense, would have a devastating side-effects in your physical body."
Reishi…? Reiryoku…? She never heard those terms before. Judging how this woman, who seemed to be her doctor, it must be related to the body or to her case, her soul. Souls seemed to have layers similar to the living physical body with its organs that works together in order for the body to work properly.
Kanao can't help her disbelief as she grasped the woman's explanation. Human bodies are so weird, she thought. Who never thought that even as a dead person, as a simple soul in Soul Society, would have similar complicated layer like living bodies?
"Did you… get the poison?" She asked, trying to polite at the woman's presence since, to her assumption, was the one who saved her life.
"It's in the Twelfth Division for examination. Captain Kurotsuchi seems to be interested at it so I let him take it."
That's… good? Though Kanao doesn't know how to react at that news. She sat up from the futon and put her feet to the floor, standing up.
"Ah, you shouldn't, young lady. You're still recovering." The woman tried stop her, but suspiciously, she didn't raise a hand nor her tone seemed to suggest otherwise. Kanao didn't noticed the woman's contradictory behavior as she only shook her head.
"I can't, doctor. If the poison is already gone, I don't need further care." She made a word of reassurance that target herself than the doctor.
The woman gave her a worried look. "That's fine, I suppose… but you need to take regular medicine for your Reiryoku."
"Then give me the medicine."
The woman looked startled. "What?"
"If you tell me what time I'm going to take it, I will look at the time and drink it. If you tell me what medicine I'm going to take, I will read the name and drink it." She mustered a smile to the woman. "Don't worry, doctor. As far as I can remember, I'm a bit familiar with medicines so you don't have to worry about me."
The woman frowned with a concerned look before she let out a sigh, defeated. "If that is what you want, that is fine with me. Just don't take too much, alright?"
Kanao bowed her head. "Thank you for taking care of me, umm…"
"Unohana Retsu. I happen to be the Captain of Fourth Division which we are currently residing now."
She blinked, unsurprised. "Thank you very much, Captain Unohana. I'm in your debt."
She bowed at her again and started to walk towards the door, leaving the woman behind. Now for the next problem after the poison fiasco, the way back to her home… which she had no idea how to get there.
"Wait."
Kanao stopped at the door as she turned around to the Captain. Was there something she forgot?
"I believe I never caught your name?" The Captain politely inquired.
Kanao blinked in realization. That's right. Even though the woman had already introduced herself, she forgot to do the same. "Tsuyuri Kanao," she said, tilting her head in address towards the Captain.
"It is nice to meet you, Tsuyuri Kanao." Unohana gave her pleasant smile before her expression transitioned, still smiling, but a subtle shrewd look. "Be careful how you direct that impressive piercing gaze of yours. People might misunderstand you."
Kanao tilted up her head to Captain Unohana. Misunderstand? What is she talking…?
"Isane," Unohana called without breaking eye contact from her as her smile transitioned back to the small, polite beam. A tall woman with short hair entered the room and offered her something.
"This is your medicine, Tsuyuri-san. Make sure to take them twice a day starting tomorrow." The ash-gray haired woman smiled at her gently. "You can only take them for a week so you don't have to worry about the medicine costing too much."
Ah, there is something she forgot. Kanao nodded in understanding as she received the medicine from her. She turned her head at the black-haired woman and gave her the same nod. "Until then."
The Captain returned the gesture. "Until then."
Then she turned around and closed the door behind her. Nothing interesting caught her attention inside the compound, all but tradition designs and clean, neat rooms. Except when she accidently overhead the conversation between the woman who healed her and her assistant while she was still at the door.
"Isane, make sure to regularly visit the Twelfth Division to oversee he won't go overboard." Kanao can recognize the gentle tone of Captain Unohana with a certain edge that she can't quite grasp.
"But Captain Kurotsuchi scares me." The assistant, Isane, faintly begged with a trace of fear in her voice.
"You have to. Swallow your fear and go there. I'm interested at the result."
"…yes, ma'am."
Since she had no idea what they were talking about, she left the compound silently. Kanao made a note to herself to ask some Shinigami for directions along the way.
…
Gin sauntered his way into the familiar streets of Seireitei, his destination unfound and nowhere. Halting his steps and raising his nose to the chilly night, he exhaled in mirth. Ah… what a fresh air, Gin thought as he coveted the breeze around him. Nothing really beats the air outside than something artificially created by machine. While he saw the importance of machine for convenience, he preferred something that was created by nature itself.
Of course, he would never forget the breaking of dawn as the sun began to rise from the east, engulfing the world from twinkling darkness to warm orange. The welcoming light emitted by the morning glow was always a relaxing sight, his own solitude from something he was burdened.
Something unseen, something overlooked, as the world will continue to turn under the cogs of time.
"Excuse me."
Oh? It's still early in the morning, who is calling out to him? Gin turned to fulfill his curiosity and saw a worn-out girl wearing the same worn-out pink yukata. He raised an eyebrow at the sight as the girl stood before him with big lilac eyes. Curious. A Rukongai resident strayed from her path and lost… or so it would seemed. Gin noticed something from her, something that a simple Rukongai resident shouldn't possess.
A Reiatsu.
"What is it, young girl? Are you lost?" Gin playfully asked, decidedly tried to gauge a reaction from her.
"Yes, I'm lost. How do I get out of this place?"
He paused, surprised at the unexpected honesty. That's a surprise. She didn't take the bait. Gin felt the stretching of his lips as his smile deepened in interest.
"Of this place, you say? You're not from Seireitei?" He tease her as he tilted his head. A condescending act, someone would say but there's no one to judge and point him for that.
She swept her eyes around her. "…Seireitei? This is the place for shinigami and nobles?"
"That's right. If you're—"
"How do I get to Rukongai?"
Gin can feel his smile shift into disappointed yet mischievous pout. What a killjoy. She decided to cut the chase. Well, he gives up anyway. It's no fun teasing her further.
"Well, young lady, you have to be more specific. Soul Society is a large place and Rukongai happens to be biggest area than Seireitei."
In his serious explanation with a playful execution of his words, Gin wondered if she believes his words. Keenly eyeing her, he realized just like his ever unfaltering smile, the indifference on her face stayed the same.
"I'm from the 14th District of North Region."
His mischievous demeanor dropped altogether. "The North Region?"
Gin was astonished from her words; of course, he didn't let it show and returned his ever-present smile. North Region of Rukongai… it has been a while since he heard that since he joined Shinigami Academy. While he didn't had fond memories of the place, it was where Gin found his resolve to realize his own selfish goal. A goal that he kept close to his heart.
What a strange coincidence for this girl to come from the same place.
And that other matter, the Flower District. Least to say, Gin was surprised of that place's emergence. For a region where there was higher rate of violence and chaos, he was impressed at the district's feat that certainly deserved to be called the 'entertainment paradise'. Though he still haven't visited the place yet, Gin made a note to himself if ever there is a time to stop by, he will surprise the girl with his presence if he managed to find her there.
The girl, to her credit, noticed his wavering smile. "Is something wrong?"
Good eyes you got there. He inwardly complimented her as he responded with waving hands. "No, no, it's nothing. I'm surprised that a simple looking girl like you to come from extravagant place that gathers compliments saying it deserved to be in a same place as Seireitei."
"Yes." The lilac-eyed girl nodded before she inquired with pointed look. "How do I get to there?"
"Oh, dear me, I nearly forgot about that," Gin pretended to scratched his head timidly, though, he already formed a fitting response for her long ago. "Unfortunately, young lady, you won't be able to cross the boundary that easily."
She fully turned her attention to him in question. "Why is that?"
"The Gatekeeper at Kokuryōmon, Danzōmaru won't easily let you cross unless you have… a local resident accompanying you."
The girl—again, to her credit—understood the implication of his words as she directed an unimpressed look to him. Amused and unfazed of her gazing, piercing eyes, he resumed his explanation. "But not just a local resident," he raised a finger for further effect, "but a Shinigami—a Captain, to be exact. But seeing you are alone on your way, I'm afraid he won't easily let you pass."
What he said was not the entire truth. The whole truth was you only need a permission from someone of higher-up, it be a Captain-Commander, Captain or Lieutenant, maybe even from seated officers depending from their influences. Despite that, it wasn't an entire lie either. As the only person with higher standing within her vicinity, Gin's words bears some truth.
She stared at him with searching eyes, as he can see the wheels in her head turning before she muttered, "I see," and started walking close to him.
He patiently waited for an eventually reaction he's going to receive. What is she going to do with him? Demand him for simpler method? Threaten him to go with her? Ignore him and wait for an another Captain (since he didn't told her his position) to come—
"Give me a pass."
His trail of thought stopped, glancing down at her outstretched hand in front of him. "What?"
"A pass." She emphasized as if talking to a child. "If a Captain doesn't have the luxury to escort someone, they would give that someone a pass to go through the gate, right?"
Gin eyed her curiously. Hmm… Somehow, this girl knew of his position and was demanding him for simpler method (as he expected). Amused at the gall of the girl showed, Gin chuckled of his newfound… discovery. It's his loss, he admitted. He can't believe he was turned down by an unexpected reply.
"Ah… do you hate me much that you don't want a gentleman's escort? Every lady wants it, you know." The silver-haired Captain pretended to pout.
She was taken back at his reply. "No… I didn't mean it like that…"
He smiled, or as other people would say to describe his smile…
He sneered like a snake.
"That's just my way of saying 'yes, I will give you the pass.'" He put his hand into his sleeves before drawing it back and threw her the pass. It almost slipped from her hands when she caught it. "Make a good use of it, young lady."
She looked down at the spring green marigold-shaped sculpture. "Make a good use…?"
"I'm giving it away to you." Gin told her as if it was a simple thing.
"…wouldn't others wonder?"
"I'll tell them that I lost it." He turned his back from her, resuming to his destination before he stopped. "Ah, if Danzōmaru doesn't believe about the pass, say this: Ichimaru Gin, the Captain of Third Division gave me this. If you don't believe me, you can approach him and question him about the pass he gave to me. That's all." He continued his way as he put the distance from her while waving. "If Fate decides it, perhaps we'll meet again, young lady."
He didn't wait for her reply, leaving her in the spot to fend off on her own. He chuckled to himself. Even if Fate doesn't decide it, they'll still meet either way. Sometime in the future, maybe even later. If she's one of the participants that was involved in the snake incident yesterday, they will surely meet. Her reiatsu would be the evident of it.
And from that, there's no way Central 46 will overlook her.
…
Kanao stepped forward to her destination, walking at the familiar streets of Rukongai as she walked boundaries after boundaries to arrive at 14th District. Recalling her conversation of the silver-haired Shinigami who indirectly introduced himself as Captain of Third Division, Ichimaru Gin, she thought she would be expecting a disagreement and resistance from the Gatekeeper, seeing how the Shinigami had to make a statement for her to relay a message of inevitable dispute, but surprisingly, Danzōmaru—Kanao recalled the Captain named him—only politely asked if she had a Pass with her. Then the Gatekeeper permitted her to cross the boundary as he smiled at her to have a nice day.
For a giant stature Danzōmaru who towered over her like a skyscraper building, his polite, civil manner was a contradiction she first imagined of what the Shinigami alluded with his explanation. Kanao returned the gesture and muttered the same words to him, though she was not quite sure if he heard her due to his height.
Walking a great distance away from Seireitei, Kanao realized how it has been a while she had a walk, which was supposed to be her purpose until the snake incident happened. She winced in pain when the lingering poison throbbed and her hand immediately went towards her bandaged temple.
Kanao raised her eyes as she can see the familiar sight of Flower District, seemingly lifeless and monotonous at being basked at the light of the rising sun. She was not surprised; it's still early in the morning, the residents are still groggy and dazed from sleep, unprepared for the day before the explosive energy will erupt in this place in a few hours. Not breaking her pace as she saw her home district, she crossed the boundary between 13th and 14th as she spotted her 'home' a few distance away from her and tread lightly to her feet.
It looks like she will resting for the whole day. She hoped this burning sting from her head will eventually go away.
And hoped, at least, that the small Shinigami would not show presence to her as she rested.
She hoped.
…
The Butterfly flew ahead with a hidden trap ahead.
The Wild Flower called out but realized the act was futile.
Grasping the opportunity and The Fool moved forward.
Interlude
…
"Ken-chan! Ken-chan! Here! Turn right here!"
The voice in his ear, the weight in his shoulder, the reiatsu of his back—his Lieutenant, Yachiru cheerfully pointed to a corner ahead of them. He, or they were in a hurry. At least, his Lieutenant insisted they should hurry. According to his partner, she wanted him to meet the stray cat she encountered just to see how weird and amusing of a cat she just found.
Kenpachi can understand her fascination for strange and eccentric things; he can draw comparisons between themselves with his own appeal of drawn-out fight, the joy of a battle; the thrill of a match between equal participants, he can understand her desire. But he wondered why she wanted to make him see the stray cat she saw which he had currently no interest with.
When he heard of the stray cat Yachiru brought to the Fourth Division was from the Flower District, he had to admit that it perked his interest and then… that was it. When he thought about it—yeah, he can think, what does everyone expect?—Yachiru and his interest didn't consistently align at times. The stray cat she took can be an actual stray cat, or a person who was weak and can't probably carry a sword with their stick-like arm. The possibility of that 'someone' was endless and Zaraki doesn't like guessing.
So order to prevent disappointment, he decided to curbed his own interest and went on with his usual business.
But still, Kenpachi questioned in curiosity. Does sharing of an interest, amusement, and entertainment appeals people much so? He guessed it was already out of question at the idea of it for him since, according to the mouths of weaklings, he was barbaric—too brutal of a person like him to be a Captain. He's straightforward, lacks strategic mind and revels at the bloodbath of a fight.
Kenpachi won't—can't deny those words because the blabbering of those foolish weakling were the truth. But even it was the truth, why does people deny who he was and still questioned his actions? In a world of façade, surrounded by people with insincere disposition, he tried his best to be an honest individual.
People are so weird. What, they don't like his frank and open behavior that people hated him so much?
"Oh! That tall figure! Isa-chan!"
As the only woman with a towering, slender figure, Zaraki immediately knew it was the Lieutenant of Fourth Division. That's good, Kenpachi thought with silent relief, since they were searching the Fourth Division barracks, it would easy to ask directions from her.
"Oh, Lieutenant Kusajishi and… Captain Zaraki?! What are you doing here?!"
The gradual transition of her voice into fear was very much expected. He knew what people believed of him and it didn't fazed him. Kenpachi still thought it was a pretty stupid impression.
"It's about Pleasant Eyes. Even though we're late for two days, she should be resting at your division, right?" Yachiru asked as she leaned forward.
The ash-gray haired woman raised her eyebrows. "Pleasant Eyes…? Ah, you mean Tsuyuri-san? No, she already left. She insisted that she no longer need further care."
"Eh? EH?!" He nearly flinched at the shriek close to his ear from his Lieutenant. "No way! She should be resting!"
"But not with us. I think she's resting in her home…" Isane dropped her gaze as if it was regretful that the patient easily got away.
Kenpachi sighed. See? Disappointment. Disappointment from Yachiru and disappointment from the Lieutenant from Fourth Division.
And maybe… from himself too as his expectation to meet this stray cat was dashed immediately as it appeared.
…
Kanao just felt the strangest yet familiar sensation happening in her body since a week had passed.
Her feet felt lighter, her body became startlingly nimble and her hands felt like she can caught anything she can see. But most of the factor that transcended all these was…
Her breathing felt easier.
Kanao can predict that the possible cause of all this was her way of meditation to subside the pain of the writhing poison that had spread throughout her body as she inhaled and exhaled every possible second to lessen her aching body, silently begging at her spontaneous meditation to work. She sometimes had a hard time moving the muscle without the accompanying painful sensation. It's not like she smiled or frowned all the time; even the tiniest movement can bring pain that force herself to remain expressionless, more than usual and that includes the lessening of her blinking. So her simplest solution was to lie in bed, close her eyes, and not do anything. If she can feel any pain, she'll breathe until the pain disappears.
Then after a week has passed, her body felt somehow… rejuvenated.
Was it supposed to do that? She was resting for a whole week but… refreshed after not doing anything? It doesn't work that way, she was supposed to feel miserable for just lying in bed for a long time, not light on feet, well-rested or invigorated.
Kanao stood in front of her 'home', all these thoughts running wild at the questionable results of her rest, clenching and unclenching her hands at her side before raising it to direct her gaze at her open palm as if it was the representative of her entire now healthy body before curling it into fist. Well, she thought while sighing through her nose, might as well accept what just happened and move on.
Before she could lower her body to her usual seat, her stomach growled.
Another sigh went through her. Looks like she will have to search for food. It seemed like she missed her weekly food since she was resting at her 'home' by courtesy of the Captain Unohana Retsu who gave her a medicine to take—
She stopped her train of thought, half in horror, half in realization. Slowly glancing at the corner of her 'home' and there she saw it, the innocuous unopened bottle medicine placed, heavily dusted at lack of use.
Kanao forgot to take it.
She glued her eyes at the bottled medicine that seemed to glare at her, reprimanding her for forgetting. Was her body screwed that's why her body and breathing feels lighter? Heaving a sigh for umpteenth times for the day, she shook her head. No matter, she's hungry. She'll think about it when she's done eating.
With a goal on mind, she strolled to the usual place where she gets her weekly food. It only took a few minutes of walking as she arrived at the usual building and went to the bench nearby. It was almost the same position where she can observe people with the exception of people occasionally glancing to her side before they enter the building.
Darting her attention to the side, eyeing while unmoved from her position, she can recognize the customers entering the building; only their faces was familiar to her. Kanao didn't went out her way to talk to them nor did they try to approach her since she noticed the apprehensive look as if they were afraid to approach her, even unnerved at the thought of her being at their vicinity.
While she definitely had no problem with that, it made her wonder why only few people pick up a courage and approached her. Does she have a scary look? Does she displays an appearance that made her unapproachable? She thought she looked fine and, at least, decent to their standards.
Be careful how you direct that impressive piercing gaze of yours. People might misunderstand you.
What did she mean by it? When she said about her impressive piercing gaze? About people misunderstanding her? Those words doesn't seem a riddle at all. It was just simple words. Honest, simple words by certain Captain Unohana. Was it warning? Was it an advice? Is she criticizing her of her look? She doesn't seem to criticize her appearance though.
Kanao heaved a sigh once again. The more she thinks, the more she gets hungrier. When is the food coming out from the building?
"Oh. It's you."
Hearing a voice close to her, she turned her attention to the side and saw a finely dressed woman with a lovely face. She tilted her head up to her from her sitting position as she took in the woman's appearance. She looked familiar but she doesn't seemed to be a customer though. A woman is rarely a customer of the building, Kanao thought.
"Here's your food. The leftovers from the kitchen."
She looked down at the woman's hand where she grasp the bag of leftover before she perked up in realization. Ah, an employee, Kanao thought. Silently reaching the bag, she nodded in appreciation, "Thanks," she muttered and stood up to leave.
"You don't recognize me?"
A tone of disbelief made her stop and she looked over her shoulder, watching the woman who had a frowning, bewildered look. "…am I supposed to?" Kanao said.
"Yes, you supposedly are. You saved me."
Her mind went about the snake incident and her inflicted poison a week ago. "Oh." Kanao simply said. In her defense though, she was… a bit occupied to be thinking about it, much less, about the woman she saved.
The woman gaped at her, then narrowed her eyes, as if judging her for forgetting before she shook her head. "No. Never mind about it. You were poisoned, right? Are you okay now?"
Kanao turned and eyed the road before glancing back to the woman. She really wanted to leave to eat her food at home but the woman in front of her seemed determined to make her occupied.
"We can take a seat if you're tired."
The woman sat down at the bench and patting down at the spot where she had plopped herself earlier. Kanao stared at the woman hard, wondering if she would squirm under her gaze. Seeing her unfazed and oblivious, Kanao gave up and sat down in defeat. If the woman had something to say, she can ramble all she wants, Kanao told herself to reassure. She can pretend to listen so in the future she will be left alone.
The woman beside her gave her a glimpse of hesitant smile, fidgeting. "Even though I already said this to you but I don't know if you heard it before so…" A sincere wide smile was directed at her. "Thank you... for saving me that day."
Not knowing what to supply her with words, a bit stunned at the smile, Kanao simply nodded.
"Okay." The woman turned her attention to her lap, her hands wriggled nervously. "Um…" she muttered, starting to pick at her decorative fingernail awkwardly. "What's your name?"
The sudden inquire made Kanao look up at the woman.
"N-no! I mean, um…" the woman sputtered, realizing what she had said. "That was very rude of me, right? Asking your name when I never said mine... Alright! Let me repeat, properly this time!" She cleared her throat. "My name is Hara, Oiran of Red Light."
Kanao pondered the woman's words. Oiran, huh? This is the first time she saw one in person. Since she respectfully introduced herself to her, Kanao gladly responded the same manners. "Tsuyuri Kanao, Commoner of 14th District," She replied in flat tone.
"Tsuyuri Kanao…?" Hara tilted her head, looking confused. "You have a surname?"
She was taken back. Was she supposed to not have one?
"If you have a surname, that means you just recently died and still had memories when you're still alive…"
…really? That doesn't seem to apply to her since she can't remember her own.
"…or maybe it's just a name that persistently stuck into you even after you died." She continued. "Either way, it's really cool to have a surname like yours, Kanao-chan."
That makes sense, to her at least. Especially the latter words she said. Then her brain froze, registering at the name she heard. Wait, did she just said Kanao-chan?
"Unlike your name that continues to carry on in death, mine is a common case in Rukongai. Hara is not my actual name. It's something I came up to identify myself among the crowd. After all, 'you', 'she', 'her' sound pretty boring and irritating, right?
"So I named myself and wandered around. With a name of my own, I was expected to be recognized. But I wasn't. I was still ignored, no one looked in my way and no one talked to me. It was lonely journey and I ended up wandering without someone on my side, no one to talk to and no one to laugh with. That's why, when I arrived here in this district, I heard this was a renowned place for entertainment so I didn't waste time and immediately approached the most famous establishment." She smiled solemnly. "I'm such a vain woman. Really. Just to quell my own loneliness, I immediately threw my arms at the veiled contentment."
What… a story. Heartbreaking even, Kanao observed. Though she didn't consider herself a great listener, at least she gained a perspective that wasn't just her own. Especially it resonated within her for some reason.
Hara gasped in realization. "I just went and ranted about my whole life story." She groaned as she covered her flushed face in embarrassment. "Why didn't you stop me, Kanao-chan?"
If she was allowed to interrupt her, Kanao would have already done it long ago, but that would be rude thing to do. It doesn't seemed appropriate to interrupt her with a question like, 'why are you calling me Kanao-chan?' with the heavy talk the Oiran just shared.
The Oiran stood up despite her red face and patted her kimono as if cleaning the imaginary dust from her pretty kimono. "Looks like I only wasted your time. It was supposed to be brief but instead it turned into, well, about myself." She lifted her face and gave her a professional smile. "It was a great talk, Kanao-chan, even it was mostly me. See you."
Inwardly relieved, Kanao nodded and stood after Hara. She reached forward to the leftover bag—
"You know what."
—and stiffened, glancing to the woman.
"You're not scary as I thought."
The woman had a faint yet melancholic smile. Then she turned around to return to the building.
Kanao thought the Oiran was going to engage another conversation, but thankfully she didn't. She took the leftover bag where she left it and stepped forward. Since all that talk was finally done, she can finally walk to her 'home' in peace.
"Hey, that Oiran. She's quite a looker, isn't she?"
"Yeah. How about we snag before she reach the building?"
"What, and do it in the open?"
"No one cares. Remember that incident where an Oiran was kidnapped from the same building and no one moved to save her?"
Kanao footsteps faltered when she heard those words at the background. Heaving a sigh once again as well as increasingly getting annoyed at her own sighing for the day, she hanged her head. Ironic, she thought. How ironic what that woman had subjected herself into.
Her name is Hara; she wanted to be recognized, to be acknowledge and yet she was overlooked among others. And now, as an entertainer, an Oiran, she was finally noticed like a sore thumb among the crowd.
Not as Hara, but as an Oiran.
Just an Oiran.
"Hey there, beautiful. Care to fancy us with your skills?"
"What? No, you have to be in the Red Light to—what are you doing? Let go!"
Kanao roamed her eyes, searching for a place.
"Come on. I'm sure you'll have a great time with us."
"W—we don't work that way—let me go!—we are Oirans, not prostitutes for hire!"
Her eyes stopped, noticing a safe corner in the distance. She silently went there.
"Does the difference even matters? No matter what it is, it's still the same!"
"You… you! Just how small is your brain that you can't tell the difference?! If you don't understand any word I said then let me go!"
As she arrived, Kanao put down the bag and swept her feet around as she directed a hard, pointed gaze towards a certain scuffling at the distance. If her movement feels lighter and her breathing is easier, she wondered, what will happened if she puts herself in a situation of struggle.
"No… no! Let me go!"
Looks like this was the right time to test it out, she concluded to herself. Kanao took a breath, steeling herself, and stepped forward.
"What did I just say? I said, let me go!" Hara wriggled at the tight grip from her wrist.
"Give it up, woman. Does your boss even cared about you?"
Hara can feel her temper rising. "My name is not woman. It's Hara!"
The man scoffed. "So what if that's your name? It doesn't—"he was startled to stop when he felt something touched his wrist where he can feel a tight grip. He scowled at the owner of the grip. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded with a growl.
The girl blinked at him.
"I said, who—"
He wasn't able to finish his sentence when he felt a burning sensation in his gut and doubled over the ground. He crumpled to the floor, groaning, gripping his middle section. He mustered his strength to glare at the girl, then he looked at his partner. Exchanging telling glances to each other, the other man launched forward to attack her with a war cry as he flew a raging fist in her direction—
—and he joined his partner at the floor, curling into a fetal position from the pain in his gut.
The girl towered over them with her lilac-colored eyes.
"Thank you, Kanao-chan…" Hara looked at the petite girl in surprise. "You saved me again…"
Kanao nodded in response before she looked down to the men at the floor. Disappointing. They didn't put up a fight. She wasn't able to test out what her abilities can do. Perhaps she shouldn't have let her own expectation get the better of her. She prevented a sigh to escape her; that's enough sighing for today.
"Say, Kanao-chan," Hara suddenly started. "With your eyes, you've gazed long enough to see what people can do to others but you didn't do a thing to stop it." She looked at her in confusion. "Tell me… tell me, why… me of all people?"
Kanao can't—won't deny her words. It was true that she had seen enough. Saw enough. Violence, discrimination, chaos… she wasn't completely blind to it as she always saw the cruelty and selfishness.
But there was a difference between her—Hara, and to the people who were subjected to the cruelty.
It is quite simple, really.
"I didn't save you because you were special," Kanao replied. "I saved you because I was there when there was no one who wouldn't."
Because those people who suffered she saw had at least someone on their side. She simply lend a hand for those who can't stand up on their own.
Kanao didn't wait for the response. She went back to the corner, grabbed her leftover bag and left.
…
Hara eyed at the corner where Kanao disappeared. She was still left shaken when those men tried to take her away for… questionable acts, but she shook those thoughts away from her mind. No need to dwell in that. Kanao saved her from that fate and she will eternally grateful to her for preventing that.
A pained groaned made her jumped, startled as she looked at the side to see the men still sprawled at the ground. Slowly putting her feet backwards away from them, she never broke her cautious, nervous stare from them, ascending to the stairs, to the door of the building before her back finally touched the cool, comforting wood behind her. Groping and searching of the doorknob, she immediately twisted it when she felt a steel cold touch in her hands and hurriedly opened the door, entering inside the building away from the men.
When she was about to ran inside, there was a girl waiting at the other side of the door.
Hara stiffened.
"Don't be scared," The girl had a gentle, reassuring smile, with soft cyan-green eyes. "I am here for those men and I will take care of them."
As if she was charmed at the calm voice of the girl, Hara didn't realized that the girl had walked passed her, and she forcibly wake herself from the daze. Her hand still gripping the doorknob, she watched the girl who walked towards the defeated men at the ground. It took her a while to gather enough courage and asked, "Who are you?"
The girl halted her steps, the plit-plat of her slippers stopped. Hara was met the same tender smile she received earlier when the girl turned around.
"My name is Makomo. The Manager's bodyguard. I am one of his 'eyes'."
…
Author's Musing:
I was reading a Bleach (translated) databook and one of the things that I've read the made me double take was Yamada Hanataro was originally supposed to be a villain in the Ryoka Invasion/Soul Society arc.
WHAT. I mean, I also read that Urahara was also originally a villain which is understandable since he was pretty shady at the start but HANATARO? Oh my god.
…
Terminology used in the chapter
(taken from r/bleach and wikia)
Chūō Shijūroku (Central 46): The highest authority of Soul Society below Soul King. Comprised of 40 Wise Men and 6 Judges.
Rukongai (City of Wandering Souls): The slums outside of Seireitei where souls from the World of the Living/Human Realm are sent.
Shihakushō (Garments of Dead Souls): A specialized uniform worn by Shinigami.
Reishi (Spirit Particles/Spirit Matter): Ambient particles of spiritual energy exist in the atmosphere and within physical objects. Anyone with spiritual powers can gather spirit particles in the atmosphere under their feet in order to stand on air.
Reiryoku (Spiritual Energy): The internalized spiritual life-force of a soul. High spiritual energy can feel hunger and needs to eat.
Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure): The externalized force exerted by the spiritual energy of a soul.
Kokuryōmon (Black Ridge Gate): The northern Gate of Seireitei guarded by a Gatekeeper.
I fixed a plot hole (which I'm surprised no one pointed out) during the conversation between Kanao and Gin about the gates before. I've changed it to Gatekeeper since there was no gates; they're only there for emergency or when Seireitei/Soul Society is in danger. With mistakes like these, please I encourage you guys if you notice something weird or an inconsistency, don't be afraid to tell me.
Makomo appears, how surprising (hehe). The OCs, the Kurotori siblings, Hun and Mun (their names is a reference to Odin's ravens, Hugin and Munin) who were formerly bodyguards of the 'manager' are replaced with existing characters namely Makomo and… I think you guys already know who the other one is.
You know what, let's call the first saga as Soul Society Saga: Flower District Arc.