X
"Rain?" Shinji asked, looking debauched in his yukata, hair braided and flyaways pinned back with decorative clips for the night.
I nodded, sitting next to him. I sipped my tea as Shinji looked up contemplatively.
"It doesn't rain in the Seireitei," he told me.
"What? Why not?"
He shrugged. "No idea," he said, deadpan. He looked down and picked at his nails. "The last time I saw rain…it was about 50 years ago, I think."
The courtyard before us swayed in what could only be perceived as a heavier wind. No rain water smell swam in my nose despite what could only be called a building atmosphere. It felt like it was going to rain.
"Did you go to the World of the Living?" I inquired, thinking of all the human items he had collected behind us in his room. Shinji seemed to get there more often than other Soul Reapers despite, or perhaps especially, given his rank.
He shook his head. "No, it was the craziest thing," he told me, looking up. I followed his gaze as he pointed. "About 500 kilometers that way"—he gestured broadly—"there was a great, big, black thing that opened up in the sky. It rained after that." His shoulders fell as he drank his tea, pinky out.
If I followed Shinji's vague directions, I would find myself at home in the valley. I swallowed nervously.
"Did you see it yourself?" I asked.
"The rain? Yeah. It was nice," he told me fondly.
"The black hole," I corrected.
"No, I didn't." Rock wren eyes watched me lazily, something growing to cloud their depths. "It'd be nice if it rained again." He sipped his tea, looking out into the courtyard.
I hummed in agreement.
X
I wandered the Seireitei shamelessly that night, fresh bite marks and scrapes decorating my legs as I allowed my kimono to go slack.
It had been raining, that final battle.
That final step back.
X
"Jushiro?" I knocked on the door to his rooms. I waited patiently as I heard some quiet shuffling before the doors slid open. My nerves were somewhat rattled after my disturbing night. I was seeking the comfort he always held for me.
Selfish, Shiro accused. You don't return his feelings. I tried to shrug her off.
Jushiro greeted me yawning. "Good morning. I didn't expect you back so early," he told me, rubbing at his head tiredly. With the doors open, I could hear Shunsui's quiet snoring behind him.
"My apologies." I flitted my skirts somewhat in a casual dip. He waved me off before ushering me inside.
I sat on the floor before the table. Jushiro yawned again as he put tea on. "You've been gone for a few days. I—we were worried about you." He sat to join me.
I nodded, wincing. "I'm sorry about that. I've been taking private lessons from Captain Urahara." Jushiro folded his hands into his sleeves, fighting the early morning chill. Concern melted into his face. "Kido," I tacked on without grace as I listened to Shunsui slowly wake up behind me. "He's been teaching me kido."
Jushiro pursed his lips as I jumped from the whisps of Shunsui's fingers on my back. He came up behind me, wrapping me in his arms as he nuzzled my hair. I couldn't help but hiss quietly as he accidentally put his chin onto one of the worse marks in the hollow of my neck.
"Oh, sorry," he said, adjusting himself and then pulling me into his lap. He yawned, and I couldn't help but sink into his warmth.
"So you're taking kido lessons from Captain Urahara," Jushiro stated, bringing Shunsui up to speed.
I nodded.
Shunsui sighed behind me and into my hair. "This is going to be hard to explain to the old man." His tone was light, but I recognized the shrewd undertones.
"The Head Captain?" I tried to crane around to look at him but quickly gave up.
Jushiro solemnly nodded before me. "Yes. He inquired about you privately after the last captains' meeting," he told me.
I flinched slightly as the tea pot began to whistle. Jushiro stood and attended to it while Shunsui spoke. "We were hoping to keep this quiet for a little longer," he told me.
My heart started to beat out of whack as their tension grew into me, knotting like an old, wood tree. I had always been intimidated by the Head Captain. I still recalled his death like acid down my throat.
"It's not the first time there's been courtesans here, but it's the first time that one has been so favored," Jushiro told me delicately as he poured.
"So the old man was just asking some questions to learn about you," Shunsui told me as Jushiro finished. I felt myself go rigid in shock. It must have shown clear as day on my face.
"If you're uncomfortable, we can probably distract him…" Jushiro told me, looking even more concerned now.
I felt myself swallow, suddenly feeling as if I was drifting away in a dream. I stuttered slightly, trying to form words, before I fell silent.
Shunsui and Jushiro watched as I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"I didn't realize that I was a secret still," I started, making Jushiro wince.
"It's not like that," he insisted.
I looked up at him with a frown. "Not anymore," I agreed.
"No, I mean—" Jushiro started.
"We knew that he was going to find out," Shunsui cut up from where Jushiro had started to falter. "But we assumed he'd force you to leave. We didn't think he'd be interested."
Interested? I swallowed nervously. "I'm not interested in him," I answered with robotic shock.
Jushiro held up his hands. "No, not like that." My audible sigh of relief. "We told him that we see your great potential as a Soul Reaper. He just had some questions about you," he explained, lowering my crashing anxiety with his cool waves.
"I told you I don't want to be a Soul Reaper." I frowned lighter at this. "It's the rules and the not being able to wander off that I don't like." We had talked about this quite extensively in Rukongai. I didn't understand what they weren't getting.
"We noticed your zanpakutou," Shunsui said from behind me. I was suddenly aware of his arms around my waist. I jolted and tried to push myself up and off of him, but his arms suddenly turned heavy and secure. I gave up with an oof!, not wanting to strain myself or fight. I started to quake minutely. My hands ached to hold my missing hair stick, to stroke it soothingly.
"Are you a Soul Reaper, Lady Keisei?" Jushiro asked before me.
I felt my eyes start to water. These idiots! I cursed them.
Tears sliced down my cheeks. Jushiro stared at me, his eyes having gone from rough and craggy to empathetic. The tea had gone cold. The shadows of the early morning were starting to extend to midday around my exposed heels.
I squeezed my eyes shut. I was doing…so good too!
I nodded.
Shunsui sighed behind me.
"Why hide it?" Jushiro prodded.
Silence.
"What squad are you from?" he pressed delicately.
I started to sniffle pathetically as my nose began to run. My face felt like it was burning.
"I'm not from a squad!" I bit out, covering my face in a pathetic attempt to hide. Shunsui didn't attempt to restrain my hands. If anything, his hold had become gentler instead of hard steel.
"What do you mean?" he asked above me, voice unreadable yet gentle.
My vocal cords let out an uncontrollable squeak as I tried to form words. My tears came heavier as my breathing started to pick up. "I'm—" Am I really going to say it? In front of them? Shiro's hand pressed into my back, a pale comfort.
"I'm a substitute Soul Reaper," I sniffled out.
Jushiro gasped almost inaudibly. "What?"
"How is that possible?" Shunsui asked. His grip slowly tightened again.
I hyperventilated as I forced the words out brokenly. "I-I have a transportation-based zanpakutou," I confessed. "I was fighting a really strong guy, and-and I messed up and somehow got thrown here." I rubbed my eyes harshly as I sniffled.
Jushiro and Shunsui were silent as I started to break down.
Something soft pressed against my face through my agitated wiping, making me pause and crack an eye open. A white handkerchief was pressing into my face.
I hiccupped, my intense crying causing the strange reaction in my throat. I allowed Shunsui to wipe my face like a child as I tried to hold in my sobs. This was my first time confessing the barest truth to anyone. My hands and arms went ramrod straight at my sides.
"Please don't hurt me." I sniffled, shaking as I tried to contain myself.
"We would never hurt you." Jushiro leaned forward earnestly. I could practically hear the warmness he was exuding. "We care for you, Lady Keisei. We promise we won't tell anyone," he continued, making my heart pulsate painfully.
Shunsui brought his arms up and held me delicately. "We'll make sure the Head Captain leaves you alone," he promised, and I gave one last shudder.
I was exhausted. Spent. We sat in silence. I stared at the cold, green tea.
"Why don't I draw you a bath?" Jushiro asked suddenly.
I nodded dumbly.
Accepting this, I watched as he stood and went to the bathroom. As he rounded the corner, I felt Shunsui lean in closer to my ear and speak. "Hey, this isn't some act, is it?" he asked blatantly, making my eyes go wide. I was too shocked to speak. "I guess it's not, then." He rubbed his chin against the side of my head, trying to bring some of the warmth back that had been between us previously. "Don't worry," he told me simply.
That warmth would not return so easily.
I heard the unspoken words.
They can't protect me.
X
I let my zanpakutou rest on the pile of clothes I left behind as I tipped my head back in the bath.
I'm in it deep now.
A single bead of water dripped down the back of my neck slowly. It felt like the years were passing faster the farther it fell.
X
Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku sat across from each other. A silencing kido muted the outside world around them. More importantly, it muted the bathroom.
"What do we do?" Captain Ukitake asked his dear friend.
Captain Kyoraku sighed, taking off his straw hat. He toyed with it as he frowned. "She certainly hasn't made it easy on us," Kyoraku agreed.
"Yeah…" Ukitake stared at the now-aged tea. "I don't think she has any ill intent," he insisted.
"Something would have happened when we brought her into the Seireitei if she had any," Kyoraku agreed, taking a sidelong glance at the door.
"Something might still happen," Ukitake started, surprising Kyoraku. "But I think this is a risk that we should take," he told Kyoraku firmly.
Kyoraku sighed. "You're not making this any easier on me either, you know…" he admonished without any real heat or scorn.
"Sorry…" Ukitake's apology echoed regretfully on Kyoraku's ears.
"It's okay." Kyoraku put his hat back on. "We need to find out what she's been doing when there's been no one else around. I'll talk to Captain Shihoin. She'll be able to put some men on her to observe her movements."
Ukitake frowned. "That's the most that we can do," he agreed. "As for the Head Captain…"
"I'll take care of him," Shunsui said, rising. "He and I are meeting later today." He went to leave.
"Oh? What about?" Ukitake asked.
"That storm. The one that the kido unit has been tracking." He tipped his hat.
"That's right…I fear it'll be here soon." Ukitake's gaze turned pensive.
Kyoraku could only hum in agreement, his own shoulders so lightly tensed that only his life partner could see it.
X
"Tsuriboshi." I tried to invoke the spell by name only as I used my shikai to heft a large boulder well into the air. I shielded my eyes from the illusionary sun as I watched the kido form six weak arms and grab on to whatever was closest.
I winced as the boulder sank into the spell, one of the arms snapping immediately while the others held on, protecting the boulder from the ground.
The kido dispersed after I finished analyzing what I had done wrong.
Clapping to the side made me look over with surprise. Kisuke stood there, smiling lightly at me. "Good job!" he reassured me.
I blushed slightly at this. After the incident with Shunsui and Jushiro, I had started to avoid them and instead spent a large amount of my time tucked away here studying.
"T-Thank you." It was my turn to stutter.
"I got you something." Kisuke surprised me.
"O-Oh?" I wasn't sure how to respond. While my other lovers frequently gave me gifts, my relationship with Kisuke had not gotten to that nature yet.
I watched as he produced a shabby-looking book from his haori. The lettering on the cover stood faded, the deep-set ink discolored as if it had been personally kissed by the sun. The binding looked well bent. The lettering read The Soul Reaper Academy: Kido Edition II.
"That's the second edition!" I realized, stepping forward and well into his space as I ran my hands over it. "This is what I've been looking for. Thank you, Kisuke." I looked up at him, my eyes warm with my sudden cheer.
He blushed, holding the book with one hand. "I'm not sure it'll be much help since I pretty much already told you what you needed, but it might help." I followed his gaze down as he flipped open the book.
The pages were equally worn, the text having gone illegible in some spots from too much love. He scrubbed through a few pages and pointed at various diagrams and sections. "Like this and this, and this here, I've already covered that with you. But there might be something in there that I forgot," he explained to me.
I eagerly nodded. "Thank you so much," I told him again, not sure how to express my gratitude to him.
Give him a kissth. Shiro puckered her lips at me obnoxiously, not letting me live down helping him unpack.
Don't you hate hoarders? I teased back. She pouted.
"You're welcome." He laughed awkwardly. We both hovered there for a second before he scratched the back of his head and looked over at my kido. "Is that Tsuriboshi?" he asked with clear surprise.
"Yes, it is. I seem to be having some trouble with getting all of its arms to appear, though." I tried to downplay the fact that I had raced through a good number of the prior kido that he showed me without issue.
The prior anxiety of Shiro had inspired me to double down on my efforts. One of the best cures for my own anxiety was to take my mind off of it, and there was little better than trying to exercise my powers.
"Are you using the full spell chant?" he asked, crossing his arms and looking thoughtful.
"No, but it will conjure fully if I do," I told him. "The other kido I know, I don't have to use the chants or say anything really to conjure them completely. I want to be able to do that with these spells."
He nodded. "I see. Why don't you cast the kido with the full chant? I'd like to see." He smiled at me quietly, the shadows around his eyes somewhat abated by it.
"O-Oh." I swallowed reflexively, cat somewhat catching my line of thought as I found myself thrown back in time to my younger, more awkward self. "Sure." I turned back to my practice ground. I flipped open the book and read a passage. While I already had it memorized, I wanted to assure myself that I was correct. My eyes squinted as I read the chant, the passage itself looking worn down by pressing fingers. I resisted the urge to sneeze as dust flew up when I turned the page to complete the chant.
"Tsuriboshi," I finished, flexing my powers this way and that. Allowing the power to build up in me slightly, I then pointed high in the air above where the previous one had formed.
It formed beautifully, unfurling like a soft, fresh clay flower would on a turntable. The kido was a soft, proper powder blue as per the book. I couldn't help but whistle lightly in satisfaction as I watched six arms connect with nearby boulders. It boing!ed pleasantly as it shook back and forth.
The previous spell lay below it, sad, forgotten, and shriveling as I cut off its energy flow.
"Oh, wow. You're really good at this," Kisuke said, suddenly closer to me. I flinched slightly, startled at the proximity, but he didn't seem to notice. "And you're saying you want to do this all mentally?" he asked me, sounding much closer to the previous Kisuke that I had known, curiosity wrapping around him like a firm blanket.
"Yes. It's faster," I admitted, looking at my hands. For someone that used to know zero kido and, in fact, struggled with it until recently…I'm doing pretty good. I smiled at myself as I squeezed my hand and made a fist.
"I see. Well, don't be too harsh on yourself. But I'm sure that you could do it if you put your mind to it, Lady Keisei." He looked down at me warmly again.
My heart stuttered once more as I began to blush. Am I developing a heart condition? I worried inwardly.
"Thank you. And thank you for the book," I told him again. That was so thoughtful of him.
X
I decided to emerge a few days later.
The sunlight bit my eyes, giving a surprising heat to my skin as I looked around cautiously. While the entrance was naturally hidden, I didn't want to be the one that led to it being discovered.
Today I had a special plan. But that special plan would require some set up, if it even worked. Raking my hand through my disaster-level hair, I gave a small pained ouch! as it snagged majorly.
Well, maybe I already had step one in mind anyway, without the plan.
Untangling my poor fingers from my extended rat's nest, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.
Now, let's see…Where is Shunsui? Quieting my power, I let it covertly reach out and taste the air around me. Probing this way and that, I settled on him and Jushiro alike both in Jushiro's office.
"Perfect." Tucking my zanpakutou back into the folds of my clothes, I flash stepped delicately above the tree line that disguised the entrance.
Breathing deeply, I enjoyed the distinct smell of the pines mixed with the bamboo and tightened my powers inside of me. I flash stepped away.
X
The reason I preferred Shunsui's bath was obvious.
Stripping off my now revolting and sweat-clogged clothes, I sighed as I stepped into the inground bath.
Jushiro's bath was a simple aboveground wooden tub. While nice and spacious for two, there was something I enjoyed more when it came to fine brickwork and relaxing in what was essentially a pool for two.
Running my hands over my body, the soap lathered and caught on my marks. I sighed from the quiet sting, almost enjoying it somewhat.
I'm a courtesan for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It had been a reality that I had mulled over in my head quite frequently since this all began.
I trailed my hands up and around my shoulders, following the gentle slope up my neck.
I only chose to do this originally because it was easy money. And because I knew I wouldn't get pregnant. One of the older women I had first encountered had taught me a little unofficial kido. She had thought that I was a new soul and had looked pitifully sad as she informed me that it was critical knowledge for any woman with spiritual power. Consider yourself lucky for having enough power to do this, she had told me when I had learned it completely.
That's around when I got my first kido book, I remembered distinctly.
I hadn't intended to pursue this profession with…them. The thought was honest. When I had met these people in the future, I had just become a woman. I was too preoccupied with thoughts of Aizen to even pursue anything more than heated looks with someone despite how my body had burned.
But now I was in the thick of things, getting to know these longtime friends and comrades of mine more intimately than I had ever thought possible.
I sighed, scrubbing my hair.
"I think this might be the best way things could have gone." I looked down at my naked form before dunking my head and scrubbing.
Well, time to get dressed.
I frowned, wondering where my hair stick could have gone. It hadn't turned up here either.
X
"Excuse me, miss…are you lost?" A young, trembling man stood before me, hands squeezing the life out of a broom. The way his striking black hair framed his face was familiar, but his strong jawline and the large birthmark on his chest showed his uniqueness. He has to be Hanatarou's dad, I decided.
"Hmm-mm," I answered gently, spinning my parasol slowly. "I'm actually here to introduce myself to Captain Unohana."
"O-Oh, the captain?" he asked. I nodded. "She's a bit busy today. She might be free tomorrow…" he trailed off, shrinking back as if expecting a strike.
"I understand. Thank you." As I politely responded, I felt the quiet, somewhat familiar reiatsu come into the courtyard.
Adjusting my kimono and making sure it covered the worst of my love marks, I met her eyes as she approached.
"I didn't realize we were having a visitor, Seventh Seat Hanatarou," she began, folding her hands as she spoke.
"Captain!" He seemed to relax as he turned to her presence. "My apologies. I was just explaining that you are preoccupied today." He bowed politely as he spoke.
"I have time for this visitor. In fact, I'm surprised she didn't come sooner." She clinically looked me up and down, pausing to note that my kimono was more reserved than the rumors she had heard.
"Shall I prepare tea, Captain?" Hanatarou's father asked, looking at me with slight unease.
"No. Please have the lieutenant do so," she directed. She turned to me next. "Follow me, please."
X
We sat in a luxurious tea room, a small table in between us. Art hung on the walls depicting various scenes across the Soul Society. The tatami mats under us clicked as we subtly shifted as we spoke.
"I am Lady Keisei," I spoke.
She sipped her tea, remaining silent. She has always been the quieter type, I remembered. Feeling an urge to fill the air with useless chatter, I forced it down as I tried to be patient and wait.
"I am Captain Unohana. I have served as a captain and alongside Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoraku for over 100 years," she began. "They seem to have both taken a liking to you. You must be quite special," she prompted, and I felt the bite mark higher up on my neck burn under her nonjudgmental eyes.
"I'm not sure I'd say special," I tried to downplay it. "I think we may just be suited for each other," I tried to reason, shifting my legs.
"That may be so," she answered.
"Um…" I started somewhat awkwardly, rubbing my thumb on my tea cup.
"What is it?" she asked, suddenly seeming like some kind of merciful angel delivering me from myself.
"I was hoping I might be able to learn healing kido from you." Putting my cup down, I put my hands on my legs in an attempt to still my body.
"Oh?" she asked, completely unfazed and not sounding surprised. "Why would that be?" she continued, ever polite.
Not speaking, I placed a hand over the somewhat bad-for-me-even bite she had eyed earlier. I winced at the action automatically.
"I see," she answered, observing me. "Have you asked Captain Shunsui or Captain Ukitake about this?"
The question surprised me. "Why would I ask them?" The question fell out of me. I guess they did say I should have told them about training with Kisuke…
"I see. I assumed since you are their charge…" She drifted off, letting me pull my own conclusions out of the hat.
"I don't believe I'm anyone's charge," I told her firmly. I'm not anyone's charge. I'm not becoming a Soul Reaper.
Unohana sat, seemingly observing my internal struggle. Her calm poker face gave nothing away.
"I will teach you healing kido."
I sagged slightly in relief before remembering myself.
"On one condition," she continued, making my ears twitch.
"What is that condition?" I asked quickly, slightly apprehensive.
"I would like you to remain in the Fourth Division while I train you," she informed me.
My mouth twitched at this. "I need to continue my work," I told her automatically.
Maybe this won't work after all…Shiro worried.
"I'll clarify." A pause. "I would like you to remain here at night when you are not working." Her tone remained professional, judgment-free.
I re-relaxed. "I understand." I have been borderline homeless since I came here…It'd be nice to relax on my own without someone else right there.
She nodded. "I will have quarters prepared for you. Let's begin our training tomorrow." Standing, she called to her lieutenant who was waiting on the other side of the doors that led out to the garden.
I watched as he came in and began to clear the table and she left.
Sighing to myself as the sleepiness of the sun heat got to me, I stood and subtly stretched my ankles, which had fallen asleep.
"Lady Keisei"—the long, dark-haired man began, making me look over at him as he balanced the tea set with one hand—"please wait here while I take care of setting up your quarters," he instructed me.
"Thank you." I nodded, making his eyes widen subtly.
X
"Captain Unohana! How's it going?" Shunsui waved from where he leaned against the railing. The two had agreed to meet alone in the First Division where prying ears were unlikely to be.
"Good, thank you. How are you?" Hands folded, she stood next to him and looked over the Seireitei as well.
"Good, thanks!" he answered good-naturedly. The two enjoyed the quiet away from their respective divisions for a moment. "How'd it go?" Shunsui asked, voice quieter and more serious.
"It went well," Unohana answered. "She will be under my watchful eye tomorrow." She paused. "How did you know she would come to me next?" she asked, curiously watching Shunsui.
Shunsui hummed in response, trying to put the feeling into words. "I suppose it made sense," he answered evenly. "She seems to be lacking fundamental Soul Reaper skills. She already has a kido teacher. She's either going to try and learn how to heal or zanjutsu next. If it were me, I'd learn to heal first."
Unohana admired the intellect of her companion yet again. While he was much younger than her, it seems that he was able to connect things in ways no one else could see. "Who is her kido teacher?" she asked curiously. This child kept her reiatsu tightly bound. In the short amount of time they had spent together, Unohana had been able to see that she was gifted in that way, if not others as well.
"The new captain, Captain Urahara," Shunsui answered.
"I see." Remembering Captain Ukitake's attachment to her, her voice was delicate with her next question. "Are you sure this is the proper course of action?"
He hummed. "Jushiro thinks it is," he answered after some time.
"But you don't." It was non-accusatory.
"I'm not sure," he answered after thinking it over.
Unohana turned towards the Seireitei again, taking in the view as she thought this over.
"I went to his division to greet him a few days after his appointment. I was unable to locate him. His squad members did not know where he was either," she spoke, eyes connecting with Shunsui's.
He hummed. "There's nothing wrong with taking a breather. I was overwhelmed when I became captain too," he pointed out.
A quiet silence encased the two as they considered their own first days.
"But!" Shunsui complained. "We noticed that the storm built up again last night. And when I sent someone to notify him so he could take readings, he was nowhere to be found."
X
Yellowed, sulfur-dirtied hands held the metal reverently up.
The metal hair stick clicked against the barrier, the glowing orb not giving a reaction.
Kisuke's eyes narrowed as his monitor beeped.
The gale winds are increasing…