A/N: Young OOC Byakuya and I have no idea which part of Rukongai Hisana was from.
My first mission after being promoted to vice-captain merely two months after finishing the academy course early, and it's to eliminate a hollow out in West Rukongai? This had better be a freaking. Huge. Hollow.
Er, excuse my language.
Ahem. As I was rambling- no, calmly expressing my mild frustration, the carriage arrived at the appointed destination.
(No, I wasn't going to flash-step all the way to this rural place. Not that I couldn't, of course, this would be simple as child's play for me. This was a matter of- of elegance.)
This mission had better be worth my time...
I highly doubted that. I had even brought my book of haikus and a ridiculous thing Urahara Taichou called a pencil. I couldn't very well write with a brush pen in a moving carriage, after all.
But, what was that? I felt my heart stop - er, nevermind that happened too long ago - as I laid my eyes upon the most beautiful maiden in existance.
She had been resting beneath a tree with the most wistful expression. It was, was breathtaking.
The hollow was scheduled to appear about now...near this area. No traces of spiritual energy was apparent, however. I might as well take this time to compose a poem, her peaceful glow was compelling me to compose!
Your radiant glow,
Like orange daylight shining
Incompetent pencils. The tip broke off! Now what was I to write with? Ah, sharpener...ugh I had forgotten it. Hm...senbonzakura... A great idea!
Down on me today.
I then realized that a haiku was no where near enough to contain the magnificence of her. Would I have to write a different type of poem? Limericks were horribly rhymed and short. Blank verse? Ah, a pity. Haiku was so elegant.
"Excuse me, miss."
I looked up to see a shinigami looking down at me. What was a shinigami doing here anyway? And a noble one at that.
"Ah! Can I help you?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the sun.
"Would you, I mean, if you could, be my muse?" he inquired in the calmest voice I'd ever heard.
...muse? Me? Muse? And who asks that kind of unnerving question so nonachantly? Was he an artist or something strange like that? What a weirdo.
"Yes," he continued, in that same tone, with no change of facial expression, "I'm somewhat of a, well, poet. Your very being inspires my soul."
Huh. What? Were all shinigami this strange?
"Ahem. An example: Just now, I had the pleasure of seeing you rest beneath this very tree. Within moments I had composed one of my best pieces this entire week. I shall read it to you."
I nodded dumbly, not following anything he was saying at all.
"Your radiant glow/ Like orange daylight shining / Down on me today."
I stiffled a laugh. What was that? A poem? You've got to be kidding me.
"It's a haiku. What do you think of it?" he asked, calmly again. This was seriously unbelievable.
How was I supposed to answer that? Sunlight isn't orange either. I'm not an expert on poems or anything, but this. This was just...hahahaha.
"Ah, that was, eh, wonderful! I'm honored." What exactly was one to say to someone sincerely believing that what they had composed was wonderful, when it was actually not? Well, I couldn't really go and burst his bubble. He actually looked quite pleased.
I sighed. Of all days, I had to meet this strange person. I was feeling quite faint and wanted some peace, something hardly found in the higher number districts of Rukongai. Yet, this strange noble-shinigami-poet has to show up out of nowhere, ask me to be his muse, and recite the dumbest haiku I've ever heard. At least it was funny. A little.
No, not really. Maybe he was joking after all?
"Ok, I'll be your muse," I raised an eyebrow, curious.
And to this day I still regret that line.
A/N: Two more chapters.