Back again for another update, hope I get this right, I'm still new at this.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or anything that relates to the title Bleach
Chapter 2- Patrol 18! A Lesson in Kido
Shinn unleashed a thousand lightning fast cuts that MuscleCrunch couldn't even see much less avoid.
Shinn landed smoothly and without standing up whispered the word "Cut". At that moment the hollow crumbled and was banished.
"Wow," Shinn remarked as he stood up, "I actually called out my soul-slayer,"
Suddenly he remembered his friends. Frantically he ran over to Miho and Hana.
"C'mon wake up," Shinn pleaded gently shaking Miho and Hana.
Neither got up and Shinn began to fear the worst. They were both breathing normally but they were injured. Shinn looked from Miho to Hana worriedly.
"Hana's gonna kill me for this," Shinn sighed.
He reached out and gave a sharp yank to her ponytail.
Hana's fist shot out and sent him tumbling on top of Miho. The two rolled down the hillside until they fell into creek.
"Ooowww," Shinn mumbled as he sat up.
Miho had woken as well, looks like a quick dip in the creek was all she needed.
However Hana was fuming mad.
"How dare you pull on my hair!" Hana fumed, "I'm gonna kill you!"
"Uh-oh," Shinn sighed as he desperately tried to swim away.
"Oh no you don't!" Hana cried, "Howl into the night, scream and wail, strip away all that remains! Binding Spell 42 Burst Fire!"
"Wah! How come you didn't use these spells on the hollow?" Shinn cried as he ran.
A jet of flame shot out and exploded under Shinn sending him hurtling downstream.
"Poor Shinn," Miho remarked as she swam to the shallow side.
Hana continued to fire massive demon art spells onto poor Shinn until she got him floating facedown in the steam.
While the two female death gods were climbing out of the water, a patrol of shinigami arrived due to a series of reports of a hollow in the area.
"What happened here?" The commander asked.
"We were attacked by a hollow," Miho explained.
"We've had sightings of it in this area, what happened to it?" The officer asked.
"Shinn beat it," She answered proudly gesturing towards the unconscious shinigami who was currently lying facedown in the beach.
"Looks like the hollow burned him," The officer remarked surveying Shinn's burnt smell, "Geez, whoever did this was vicious,"
"Yeah, something like that," Miho replied giggling.
"What squadron are you from?" The officer asked.
"5th Division," Hana answered, "All of us,"
The officer nodded then turned to his partner and muttered some words.
"You'll need to report to headquarters later this afternoon but for now report to your division immediately
Hana kicked Shinn awake and after a brief explanation the trio headed towards 13th division meeting hall.
The three stepped into the hallway and met Captain Abarai Renji.
Due to the apparent betrayal and disappearance of three of the shinigami captains many members were hastily promoted to compensate, at least until they could find more suitable replacements. Captain Renji was perfect due to his ability to already be able to activate his bankai technique.
"Oh hey," Renji called out, "Where were you guys during the announcements?"
"Morning Captain," Shinn saluted cheerfully.
"Mornin," Renji replied, "Here are your orders for today,"
He handed them each an envelope sealed with the 5th division seal.
"Um, we were told to drop by the headquarters to make a full report," Miho explained.
"I know," Renji replied, "Good job on revealing your soul-slayer, from what I heard you did well,"
"Oh…uh thank you sir," Shinn bowed.
"Now get outta here," Renji chuckled cheerfully, "And forget dropping by headquarters, I've already informed them of the urgency of your recent orders so go,"
The trio bowed then walked out through the open door.
"Abarai Renji," Miho commented, "Think its true that he mastered his bankai in less than a week?"
"Doubtful," Hana replied, "He was probably training the entire time but then revealed it in his fight against Captain Kuchiki,"
Shinn smiled at the two then opened his envelope carefully. He pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it.
"Orders…patrol group number 18 …Sector 12" Shinn read aloud.
"What?" Hana cried while Miho gasped.
"Patrol 18?" Miho asked, "Wow, that's great! You'll get to see real people and see all kinds of new things!"
"Same here!" Hana cried as she held our her envelope, "I'm in patrol 18 as well,"
Miho opened hers and held up an identical set of orders.
"This is gonna rock!" Hana cried as she smiled widely, "Finally we get to get some hands-on experience!"
Miho smiled as she watched Hana pump her fist in the air, and then she noticed Shinn's expression.
"Is everything alright?" Miho asked worriedly.
Shinn head snapped up and made a forced smile.
"It's great!" Shinn smiled, "Patrol 18, it sounds great!"
Miho wasn't fooled for an instant. She regarded him worriedly then decided to force it outta him later.
Meanwhile outside on the rooftops Renji finished his eavesdropping.
"Tch, Sector 12?" Renji murmured, "Good luck guys, you guys came to the meeting hall last, and got the worst pick. Sector 12, poor guys."
The three made it to Patrol 18's meeting room without too much difficulty.
"Is this patrol 18's meeting room?" Shinn asked as he slid open the door.
"Eeek! Pervert!" A voice shrieked.
"Huh?" Shinn began but a bare foot to the face sent him slamming into the other side of the hallway.
"Dumbass," Hana muttered rolling her eyes while Miho desperately tried to revive the unconscious Shinn.
"What do you want?" a blonde haired girl, around the same age as the three, asked angrily.
She had apparently just been covering herself in a towel when Shinn had accidentally stepped in.
"We're the three new members of patrol 18," Hana explained handing her a write up.
"Hmm?" the girl murmured as she skimmed the contents, "Oh, you're the new patrol for sector 12, come on in…except for that pervert,"
"Sorry but we gotta drag him in," Hana replied dryly as Miho managed to pull Shinn inside.
She went back inside the bathroom and came out in shinigami attire however her soul slayer was not at her side.
"Anyways I'm Rei Sokenzan," She greeted as she held out her hand, "I'm the head of Patrol 18, the others are already here."
On cue three more shinigami stepped out from another room. One was dark skinned and wore a cheerful smile while the next was tall and lanky with tanned skin and curly hair while the last was a long-haired and slouched Caucasian.
"Hey, from right to left, Cho Hiriko, Koji Tanamoki, and Saito Shinnamori." Rei said gesturing towards the three.
"Enchanted," Cho remarked bending over and kissing Miho and Hana's hands.
When he turned to Shinn, Shinn merely just shook his head and grinned nervously.
Koji just smiled and said hello while Saito merely nodded lazily.
"So when do we start?" Shinn asked.
"Well, right now Koji and his group are on patrol right now so you guys should be fine for now," Rei explained, "Go to the hot springs, they're really nice right now,"
"Yay!" Miho cried, giddy, "Hot springs!"
"Miho, calm down and let's go," Hana sighed.
Shinn took a step to follow them but Rei grabbed the cuff of his uniform.
"Where you going?" Rei asked with a death glare plastered on her face.
"H-hot springs," Shinn answered nervously.
"Wrong, you're training with me, apparently you lack any skill at all according to your profile so we have to get you in shape!" Rei snarled.
"B-but Renji Sensei is in charge…" Shinn began.
"Don't care," Rei cut him off, "We're gonna train,"
Tears ran down Shinn's face as Rei dragged him by the cuff outside.
"Apparently you suck at demon arts," Rei remarked looking over his overall grades once they had stepped outside into a training field, "You lack the proper hand motions,"
"Sorry," Shinn sighed.
"Don't say sorry!" Rei snapped as she smacked him over the head with her clipboard, "Just get better!"
"Sorry," Shinn sighed rubbing his head.
Rei's eyes gave off a dark glint but she decided to ignore the last reply.
"Kido, or the demon arts are just as important as a soul-slayer," Rei lectured, "They can be used to subdue or harm,"
"Hana specializes in harm," Shinn thought, "Yes, ma'am,"
"Now you know the basics but now you have to know the advanced levels," She explained, "Try using your most well versed spell on me,"
"Okay," Shinn replied as he raised his hands, "Twirl into the night's sky, Unleash the sea of the sky! Rise Razor Wind!"
A burst of wind shot towards Rei but upon impact the spell dispersed.
"That was pathetic!" Rei exclaimed angrily.
She raised her arms and made a series of symbols.
"Explode! Rip away the throat! Scatter the earth from beneath! Fireball Explode!" She cried.
"Whaa…" Shinn began as the ground began to shake.
A ball of fire erupted from underneath his feet.
Hot springs…
"What a nice place," Miho sighed as she sank into the water.
"Better than any other I've ever been in," Hana added.
"Um, do you hear a voice screaming?" Miho asked.
Hana cupped her ear and listened.
"waaaaaaahhhh!"
Shinn collided head first onto a rock then slowly sank into the water.
"What's that dumbass doing in here?" Hana cried.
"I hate kido," Shinn murmured as Rei dragged him out of the river for what seemed the hundreth time.
"Then get it right!" Rei snapped as she kicked him to get up.
"She's as bad as Hana!" Shinn thought as he struggled up.
"You're from what, 5th division?" Rei asked skeptical, "I would've thought you could at least know some basic kido,"
"Sorry," Shinn sighed, "I'm just not very good at this I guess,"
Rei smacked him across the head.
"Stupid, why don't you practice?" She asked angily, "Get Miho to help you, she was the 4th best cadet in kido arts in the academy!"
"But I don't want to bother her," Shinn protested meekly.
This time he flew past the river when Rei "demonstrated" her kido in reply.
"How are you gonna fight hollows without kido?" She asked, "From what I heard your soul-slayer has yet to be unsealed and you suck at kido,"
"Oh, well I figure I'd sort that out when the time comes," Shinn replied.
Rei collapsed (anime style) but got back up right away.
"Then what about your teammates?" She asked becoming serious, "If you become a liability that will endanger your teammates,"
Shinn's eyes suddenly switched.
"I know, but I know I can help them when the time comes,"
"Talk is cheap," She replied, "Let's see you defend yourself then!"
She suddenly began making a series of symbols with her hands.
"Spin! Revel in the torrent, Sai the 3rd!" Rei cried and a torrent of wind shot out knocking Shinn of his feet.
"Agh!" Shinn cried as he crashed into a tree.
"Defend yourself or die," Rei declared ominously.
"Why are we fighting?" Shinn gasped as he struggled up.
"If you can't prove to me that you can become an asset to this team I will dismiss you from the shinigami," Rei explained, "Now show me what you can do!"
Shinn stood up uneasily.
"Slice in half! Revel in the wind! Sai the 4th!" Rei cried.
A blade of wind shot out and gashed Shinn in the shoulder.
"You're serious aren't you?" Shinn murmured, "You'll actually hurt me to prove a point,"
"Damn right," Rei snapped, "The only way to learn is in doing!"
"Then I'd better start doing," Shinn remarked smiling.
He formed a series of hand seals.
"Tear way at the soul! Burn the flesh and invoke the fire!" Shinn cried.
A ball of fire shot out and slammed into Rei.
"That spell was poorly formed," She remarked as she dusted her uniform off.
Shinn's eyes widened considerably.
"Learn to focus your soul energy into a direct area rather then spreading it out," Rei instructed, "The spell had no bite because of the lack of power behind it,"
Shinn hurled himself out of the way of an oncoming bolt of lightning.
"Ugh, I hate fighting like this," Shinn moaned.
Another bolt flew towards him. Instead of avoiding it he drew his zanpak-to and blocked it but the force sent him flying back onto the ground.
"Hmph, according to your report you have yet to even know how to unseal your soul slayer," Rei scoffed.
Shinn rushed forward and tried to recall how he unleashed his shikai. He could remember slicing the hollow in half but he couldn't recall what he slashed with and what the sowrd's name was. It was as if it had been plucked from his memory.
Rei stepped in front of him and drew her own soul-slayer.
"Don't think you can face me by putting me at a disadvantage!" She snapped.
She slashed horizontally forcing Shinn to roll out of the way.
"Damn," Shinn whispered, "How come I can't remember?"
Rei dove forward and drove her sword into Shinn's other shoulder.
"Arghhh!" Shinn cried as he dropped his sword and clutched his shoulder.
He collapsed onto his knees and grimaced as blood poured from the open wound.
"Shinn!" A voice cried out.
He looked up and saw Miho and Hana rushing towards him.
"I'm sorry," He whispered. Then he fainted.
"What's going on?" Hana asked angily as she confronted Rei.
"He said he would be an asset instead of a liability in our patrol, I tested him and he was," Rei replied.
"How does slashing him open prove anything?" Hana asked angrily.
"He couldn't even fight back!" Rei snapped, "If he can't prove himself against me he sure as hell can't do shit against a hollow!"
"Shinn hold on," Miho whispered as she tried to stop the blood from flowing.
Her hands glowed green and she set them onto Shinn's wounded shoulder.
The bloodflow lessened and Shinn's breathing resumed to a normal pace.
"Anyways, I'll have to have him sign a release form, he's not ready to act as a shinigami right now," Rei sighed.
"Idiot!" Hana cried, "He's perfectly qualified to fight alongside us!"
"No, he'll endanger the entire patrol," Rei replied softly, "I'm really sorry to do this, but I don't want my teammates to die because of inadequecy,"
"You..." Hana began but she couldn't find the words to go on.
"Shinn doesn't like to fight," Miho murmured.
Rei's eyebrows rose.
"He doesn't like to fight and hurt people," Miho cntinued as she stood.
She had finished healing Shinn who was now sleeping peacefully.
"Then why, pray tell is he a shinigami?" Rei asked skeptically.
"For her," Miho whispered regarding a small locket.
"Who's that?" Rei asked.
"When Shinn was young a shinigami officer took him in and raised him," Miho explained, "She always believed in protecting others, Shinn grew up by her teachings and idolized her,"
Miho smiled softly at Shinn's sleeping form.
"She died defending her teammates so that they could escape, she proved herself that day that her teachings were true and she believed them," Miho continued, "Shinn decided to follow her example, fight to protect those you love,"
Rei looked at Shinn softly.
"Do you think he will help us?" Rei asked.
"He'll die for us," Miho replied, "But I hope it never comes to that, people like him should live a long life and die quietly and contently,"
"Then maybe..." She began.
"Rei-san!" Cho cried, "Hollows...sighted at...East divison of...Rukongai!"
"Move!" Rei cried as she dashed out towards the east quadrant.
"Miho, Hana!" She shouted over he shoulder, "Get Shinn inside! Koji, Cho, Saito, with me!"