Well here we are once again ladies and gentlemen with another chapter. Im happy to have received as much feedback as we have, it really means a lot to us. Not much for me to say from the get go this time around, so lets just get right to it shall we? Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter in a review. It really does mean a lot to us.
Thanks once again to Greatkingrat88 (for writing) and jcampbellohten (for being our Beta)
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun!
Momo tried her best to contain her excitement. After having finished up their duties for the day, at six o'clock sharp, she had headed back to the apartment with Erza. They had changed into the gigai provided to them, and gone out on the town. Momo had made a particular effort to wear something cute, only to realize that, firstly, her knowledge of outfits and their corresponding cuteness was rather limited, and Erza had made no such effort of her own. With the woman she loved settling for plain jeans and a t-shirt, Momo had in turn settled for a pink skirt and a white blouse.
The clothes didn't matter. It was them being together, doing something all on their own, that mattered. The fact that even under these conditions, even with the threat of war looming, Erza had taken the time for a real date. It didn't matter that neither of them really knew how to dress up, or that they both had the badges ready to exit their gigai at any time in case of an invasion, or that they hadn't told anyone exactly what they were doing as if it were a dirty little secret.
She was here, out on the town, on her way to grab a bite to eat with her… her girlfriend. That had to be it, right? She threw the word around inside her head, staring adoringly at her captain, her friend, her girlfriend, her… lover?
That last part they'd get to eventually, she was sure. For now, she just had to focus on not messing this up.
Erza looked back at her cheery vice-captain and shot her a smile that wasn't as genuine as she would have liked it to be. She had been quite cavalier when Momo had asked, but the truth was that she was feeling the pressure. The truth was that she was… nervous. Afraid. She'd been lucky she had been tired when Momo asked, or she might have frozen. If she could have thought properly, she probably would have.
She'd had time to think about it since that fateful night, every now and then, even if she had had to force herself to do it. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt. She loved Momo, sure, just like she loved any of her friends. But… was there actually anything more?
No, there was. She was quite sure of it. There was something more there, something she had never felt for the likes of Renji or Rangiku or anyone else she had bonded with in her time with the Gotei Thirteen. She felt… oddly protective of Momo. She felt glad to see Momo in the morning, and she had started to feel annoyed when they had to be apart. These things, she knew she hadn't felt them before, not when they had both been part of the Gotei before her exile. She had never let any of it show, because Erza Scarlet took her commitment to captaincy seriously, but it was there.
Was that love? Feeling a little protective of someone, a little annoyed?
She had decided the only way to find out was to tackle the problem directly. A date… that was as good a place as any to start.
"Any place you want to eat?"
"Anywhere is good," Momo chirped.
She sounds so happy, Erza thought gloomily, inwardly envisioning what it would be like to tell her it wasn't working, that it couldn't go on. She'd be crushed…
"How about… sushi?" said Erza, determined not to let her fears shine though. She had to try. She had to figure out how she really felt. She owed Momo that much.
"I'd love some," Momo said happily.
After browsing the restaurants of Karakura's entertainment district, they settled for a small restaurant. They each got a plate, and despite some attempts at conversation, mostly from Momo's side, they mostly ate in silence. Momo's smile stayed on, but it was starting to seem forced to Erza, plastered on there like too much makeup.
"Momo," she said, after the last bite had been finished, before the pause between eating and talking had time to become an awkward silence.
"Yes?" Momo said eagerly.
"Um," she said, taking a deep breath, "how… how do you feel?"
"I feel great!" Momo said with impossible cheer. "I'm in great shape right now!"
"I mean… about this," Erza said awkwardly, making a vague hand gesture, "um, us. This… date."
"I think it's going great!"
"Momo," said Erza quietly, "if you're being honest? I'd like that much better. I'm not much of a people person, but even I can tell you're trying very hard. I… feel like you're wasting it on me right now. So um, please be honest with me. Always. Even if it's hard."
Momo looked down.
"I am trying," she said, sighing. "I just… want this to be a good experience for you. For us."
"Is it?"
"It's not… bad," Momo said hesitantly.
"Momo, please tell me how you feel." Erza looked her in the eye, and Momo buckled under the pressure.
"I feel like it shouldn't be this hard," she said, sighing deeply. "We've done this loads of times, haven't we? I mean, not too often since you came back, but… we used to do this. Going out together. We had fun. It shouldn't be so hard to talk to each other, right? We know each other, Erza. We're perfect for each other."
"It's true we used to do it before," said Erza gravely, smiling sincerely at the memory of a simpler time, before her exile, "but it was as just… friends. Things changed. There never was this tension before. You're trying very hard, and… I feel like I'm not giving you much to work with. It's my fault."
"Never!" Momo said. "It's just…"
What it was exactly, she didn't know any more than Erza.
"It's me," said Erza, and she saw the hint of terror in Momo's face. She's afraid I'm going to reject her here and now, she thought.
"It's different now, like I said. There's stakes now. I'll be honest with you, too. I'm… afraid of letting you down. I'm not good at relationships at all. I'm not sure I'll be able to return your feelings. And even if I did… I'm not sure I'd be a good partner. We'd not have a lot of time for each other. I'm afraid I would neglect you because I don't know any better. This whole thing… scares me a little."
"Erza," Momo said firmly, sitting up straight, "I always knew this. You didn't expect it. A chance was all I wanted, and if you're willing to give it a chance, that's all I need. If it doesn't work out… it might hurt, but please don't let that hold you back. I want you to be happy. Even…" she paused, and swallowed, "even if you can't be happy with me. So, please… let's just try to enjoy this together."
Erza smiled, and gave a little chuckle. "Leave it to me to ruin the mood, huh?"
"Better you say it now than later," Momo reassured her, shyly putting her hand next to Erza's, their fingers touching. Erza took her hand and smiled.
"You're right," she said. "We have done it before, lots of times. We do know each other. Let's try to remember what that was like. Let's just… be together, like the old days, and see where it leads. I think I can do that."
"I'd like that," Momo said, her face lighting up. Her smile looked genuine now. "And, of course, I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with…"
"I'm starting to think it's time I tried going outside my comfort zone," said Erza, "or there are some things I'll never get done. If I can take on a legion of hollows, I can take my girl out on a date, can't I?"
Momo blushed at the words my girl, and Erza felt something stir in her chest.
"Come on," she said, standing up. "Let's get coffee together and just… talk. Wind down. No work stuff, just whatever comes to our mind."
"I'd love it," Momo said happily.
With a mixture of anticipation and a fair bit of dread, Byakuya was facing his fate. He had faced many a challenge in his past. He had risen to the intense burden of leadership of a noble clan. He had led and organized sixth division above and beyond the accomplishments of his late grandfather. He had led men into battle and looked death in the eye many a time. He suffered pain, hardship, injury, and close brushes with death time and time again in the line of duty.
But, right now, those challenges seemed oddly trivial next to the comfortable chair in front of him. It was placed opposite Kotetsu Isane, who looked at him with the kind of matter-of-fact professionalism that he would normally have quietly approved of.
She was not a figure that should inspire dread in anyone of his calibre. Her battle strength was on the low end of all vice-captains in the Gotei, and her appearance matched it: modestly handsome, very nearly plain, and entirely lacking the quiet, intimidating sense of danger her captain emitted. She was not an intimidating person, and he should not have felt intimidated by her. There was no sense to it.
"Please take a seat, Captain Kuchiki," she said, with impeccable politeness. She had come to him, to a room in his suite; he had been given that much accommodation. The light of the day was still shining through the windows. By all means, this was a pleasant enough place, but Byakuya felt like crawling out of his skin.
"Vice-captain Kotetsu-"
"Doctor Kotetsu, if you please," the vice-captain corrected him mildly. "I am here in my capacity as chief medical officer, offering services relevant to your personal health."
"Doctor Kotetsu," he obliged her wearily, "is this… strictly necessary?"
"You may remain standing if it pleases you, Captain Kuchiki."
"Not… that," Byakuya said, tormented. He knew it was a ridiculous thing to ask, but he asked it all the same. Anything to stave off this. The idea of opening up, of telling somebody else his problems, problems that were his to carry… but no, the commander had been quite explicit.
"Captain Kuchiki," Kotetsu said, her voice smooth and relaxing, "I have been asked to evaluate you. If I cannot evaluate you, I believe you know the consequences. I will not force you to do anything, but I will not shirk my duty, either."
"Of course not," Byakuya said. "No, a dereliction of duty would be… unacceptable. Dishonourable."
"Certainly," Kotetsu said with a nod.
"Are you going to ask me to take a seat again?" he muttered, unable to contain a very slight sense of irritation in his voice.
"Captain Kuchiki," Kotetsu said frankly, "you are here for counseling. In matters psychological, it is generally held that coercion of any kind is destructive to the patient's journey to mental wellness."
"But, I do not have a choice," Byakuya said, too quickly for it to come off as dispassionate, "not in any meaningful way. I very strongly desire to remain stationed here. My remaining here is conditional on attending these sessions. I do not have the freedom to walk out of here, not without consequences that will surely worsen my state of mind. So, how can you speak of a lack of coercion?"
"True as that may be, I will still make an effort to not exercise authority over you, both because it would be inappropriate and because I believe it would be counterproductive for your treatment."
"This is ludicrous," Byakuya muttered.
"Is it?"
"I… lose my temper one time too many, and it is decided I am a loose cannon- I believe that is the common terminology? - and so here I am," Byakuya said irritably. "It really is… just not necessary at all."
Kotetsu scribbled something down on a notepad, and looked back to Byakuya. "You seem quite frustrated. Has this gone on for a long time?"
"…Yes," Byakuya admitted, realizing that his protest of the session had seamlessly become part of the session itself. "Yes, it has."
"Would you like to tell me more about it?"
"You know what?" Byakuya said, suddenly turning around, marching toward the chair standing opposite of Kotetsu. "I think I will have a seat after all."
She nodded. "Then let's talk. Where does it begin?"
Byakuya took a deep breath. This would be as hard a challenge as he had ever faced. "It… goes back to the death of my parents, I suppose," he muttered reluctantly.
Strangely enough, the words seemed to flow freely from his mouth once he started, like a breach in a dam, even though he deep down resented himself for sharing these burdens. Soon, Doctor Kotetsu's hand was moving furiously, scribbling down notes.
The mood had lightened considerably after their little heart-to-heart, and Erza and Momo had taken their coffee together. Conversation had been difficult at first, but now, alone and without the worries of their daily duties upon them, something of the old days seemed to return. They had spoken of nothing and everything, and before they knew it, an hour and a half had passed.
"You know," said Erza with a chuckle, "I think maybe we'd best be going, or at least order something new. I think the store owner is giving us dirty looks."
"I'm okay with leaving," Momo said brightly.
"Sure," Erza said with a shrug, standing up. "Where would you like to go?"
"Are there any book shops nearby?"
"Probably none with anything about kido, but sure," said Erza with a smile. Momo laughed. "I know a place not far from here. It sells a little bit of everything. Could be a fun look into human culture for you."
"Great!"
Together, they walked leisurely through the streets of Karakura, just enjoying each other's company. Momo asked about this and that, about the city and where things could be found, what that store over there sold… and Erza, with a solid twenty years of living in Karakura, actually knew the answers to most of her questions. As they walked, Erza let her hand trail against Momo's, wrapping her fingers around it. Momo blushed as she took Erza's hand, and Erza smiled back, feeling a strange sense of elation, excitement.
Is this what love is like?
"Right here," she said, pointing with her free hand. She led an excitable Momo into one of the bigger book stores the city had to offer, and Momo reluctantly let go of Erza's hand to explore.
Although she could appreciate a good book, Erza didn't quite share Momo's passion for the written word. To her, writing these days was mostly the characters on a battle report, or a logistics recording, or a form for this and that. Momo, though, had a natural affinity for it, and Erza knew she kept her own personal library. Despite the books having little in common with the perspectives of the Gotei, Momo seemed fascinated with them. She browsed through the science section, then geography, then lingered by the long, large shelves of fiction. Erza was surprised to realize an hour had gone by, without her realizing it, and all she had done was watch Momo rifle through book after book, occasionally grabbing hold of one to buy. She had accumulated a considerable stack so far, even considering she had put down most books she looked at, and Erza hoped the money they had brought was enough.
"Find anything interesting?" she said contentedly, watching Momo rifle through a novel with a rosy-red cover.
"A little," Momo said excitably. "I'm only rifling through it, but this novel seems really clichéd, predictable and sappy."
"You sound pretty happy about what sound like some pretty negative qualities."
"You know what you get with these things, and they don't pretend to be anything they aren't. It's a sappy romance novel. I know they're silly, but…"
"If you enjoy it, then there's no need to apologize for it," said Erza reassuringly. "Hey, maybe I'll borrow it from you when you're done with it?"
"Y-yeah!" Momo said excitably. "It's about this young woman who is married to an old man, but in her heart she really desires his nephew, who is good-hearted despite his rough exterior, and she's torn between her sense of duty and her love-"
"Alright, alright," Erza laughed. "Don't give the whole thing away, okay?"
It really did sound clichéd, but if it made Momo happy, then it was all the same to Erza.
"Yeah, sure," Momo said happily.
"What else did you get?"
"Some thrillers, a few science textbooks- I'm really curious to see what things are like outside the Gotei, actually- and some things about various countries around the world. It's funny how little we actually know about the humanity we're supposed to protect, isn't it?"
"Yes, quite," Erza said thoughtfully. She was right. And she had the right idea. She really was… something else.
"It isn't too much, is it?"
"I think we're fine," said Erza. "I'll help out if it's needed."
"I wouldn't want to impose…"
"If anyone can impose, it's you," said Erza. "It's a perk, isn't it?"
"I hadn't thought about it that way."
"That's how it works, right? If someone around you is getting a free ride, they're either really important to you or a freeloader. And I don't see any freeloaders around here."
Momo blushed.
"Well um, shall- shall we go pay for them?" said Erza, deciding to say something before she ran out of things to say. She was definitely heading into unknown territory; the kind of flattery one was supposed to heap upon a potential love interest was well beyond her.
Don't screw it up.
"Yeah, sure," Momo said, and if she had noticed how awkward Erza had felt just now, she gave no indication.
"Unless you want to keep browsing…"
"No, I think I'm good," Momo said, giving the store a longing look. "I mean, I'd like to, but…" she patted her stack of books, which had gotten fairly tall.
"Know when to quit?"
"Something like that."
"Alright," said Erza. "It's getting late, anyhow. If we want to get to bed for tomorrow, we should think about heading home soon-ish."
"Look at you, being all responsible," Momo said with a smile that could, quite possibly, be considered coy.
"Well, somebody has to," said Erza with a nonchalant shrug, hoping that could, quite possibly, be considered 'cool'.
They went to the counter, and as Erza had expected, Momo's spending money wasn't quite enough, but Erza happily lent her what she needed. Carrying two bags of books, both heavier than they looked, they were about to head to the exit when Erza heard a commotion.
"God damn it, don't do me like this!"
"I'm sorry miss, but that is not enough."
"Freakin'… fuck!"
Erza turned around to see a girl in a white jacket and pink miniskirt, with black hair, arguing with a cashier. By her thick accent and her appearance, it was clear she was not Japanese.
"Hang on a sec," said Erza, handing Momo the bags. Momo nodded, following behind Erza as she made her way toward the foreign woman.
"Excuse me," said Erza. When she was ignored, she tapped the woman's shoulder, and said, "Excuse me, miss?"
"Uh?" said the woman, and turned to look at Erza. She wasn't sure what to make of her. She looked young, but acted even younger.
"Is there a problem?" said Erza, noticing the relieved look on the cashier's face.
"I, uh, kind of… shall we say, miscalculated the kind of money I needed," the woman said, seeming to deflate, "which really sucks, because I was looking forward to this…"
Taking that out on a cashier was less than admirable, but Erza could sympathize. She looked at the case of books the girl was carrying; it was mainly manga, and loads of it.
"How much do you need?" said Erza.
The woman blinked. "Uh, just over two thousand yen? I still have a bit left, just… not quite enough."
"That's not a lot," said Erza, digging through her pocket, opening her wallet and handing the woman two thousand and five hundred.
"Thanks a bunch!" said the woman, lighting up. "I swear I can pay you back, I just… need to talk to my, uh, my dad. Back at the hotel."
"It's okay," Erza said with a smile. "We have money to spare."
That much was true. The expenditures of any captain on active duty right now would cover anything but the most extravagant sums, and some small pocket change would not even be noticed.
The woman paid, heaping thanks upon Erza as she did, and insistently walked out alongside them. Erza smiled, more surprised than irked. The date was almost over, anyhow, and Momo didn't seem to mind.
"Name's Bambietta," said the woman cheerily, "but you can call me Bambi."
"Bambi," said Erza, nodding, "like the cartoon?"
Bambi snorted. "Yeah, never heard that one before. At least you didn't say, 'It sounds like a stripper name,' or, 'Your parents must have hated you, huh'."
"That would be an awful thing to say," Momo said emphatically as the three of them walked out and onto the streets of Karakura.
"I meant no offense," said Erza.
"None taken. Hell, you could call me a bitch right now, and I'd probably still like you. You saved my bacon back there. From embarrassment, mostly, but still."
"What sort of books did you get?" Momo said, curiously eyeing Bambi's bag. "What's 'Inuyasha'?"
"It's supposed to be a classic," said Erza, whose teaching days had left her with some ideas of the tastes of the youth, even if she was hardly a connoisseur of manga herself, "as are these Dragon Ball books, right?"
"Holy fuck, you're surprisingly cool," Bambi said with a grin. "Yeah, I wanted a real Japanese version, to see how they compare to the translated versions."
"What are these other things?" said Momo, peering into the bag again. "What's this one with the two young men who are very close to each other?"
"That's, uh…" Bambi started.
"Oh, and this one has tentacles on it," Momo said innocently. "Is it some kind of adventure-horror story at sea?"
"Yes!" Erza said, very quickly. "That's exactly what it is, and we should probably stop looking at her private property!"
"I didn't mean…" said Momo confusedly.
"It's fine," Bambi said, hastily closing her bag. "Really, it is. Nothing wrong here." She gave Erza a knowing glance, and nodded gratefully. "Look, I'm glad to have met you both. Really appreciate it. My hotel's round the corner, so please, let me pay you back."
"It's fine, really. I was just glad to help," said Erza, smiling.
"Okay, if you're sure…"
She's surprisingly mannered under that gruff exterior, Erza thought to herself.
"We actually have places to be," said Erza. "We're sort of… on a date."
Momo smiled widely at hearing it spoken out loud. Bambi's eyes opened wide.
"Oh, shit. Didn't see that coming. Fuck… I'm intruding, aren't I? I'm real sorry, you guys."
"It's fine," Erza reassured her. "No offense taken."
"I'll leave you to it," said Bambi with a smile, "but real quick… what's your names?"
"Erza Scarlet," said Erza.
"Hinamori Momo," said Momo.
"…Cool names," Bambi said after a pause. "Yeah, cool. Maybe I'll run into you again some time. Without, uh, being a third wheel. You're cool."
"I'm sure you have manga to read?" said Erza.
"Shit, yeah, I get it," Bambi said with a nod. "Let me just get out of your face. See ya, and… thanks, again!"
"You're welcome," Erza said, waving to Bambi as she made her way away from them, almost running.
"What a strange girl," said Momo.
"She's very… straightforward," said Erza. "Anyway… want to go home?"
"Home it is," Momo said, hooking her arm to Erza's. Arm in arm, they slowly walked home, enjoying the last of their free time together.
"So, there I am, right? Nearly shitting my pants, sword in hand, and there it is… the first real hollow I ever stood face to face with on my own."
Ginjo paused to take a swig from his beer, and Ichigo found himself leaning forward with anticipation. He had come back here after all. With an hour or so left over after his visored training had concluded, he'd decided to spend it here. If these people were shady, he had reasoned, he might as well keep tabs on them, right?
Ginjou had turned out to be difficult to dislike. He exuded a sort of casual charisma that reminded Ichigo of his father, only without the excessive emotional outbursts and general lameness. Never too sharp, never too friendly; everything felt natural with him.
"So, then what?" said Ichigo, realizing he was genuinely in suspense.
"Well, I made an ass of myself trying to swing a weapon I had no training with," said Ginjou with a shrug. "There was a whole lot of dodging, evading, and generally trying to stay alive as I started to realize that holy shit, this is actually real and I could die."
"Hell of a feeling, that," Ichigo said, nodding with approval. Not too long ago, he had been just like young Ginjou had been all those years ago, and the memories of the simpler times when struggles for life and death were not part of the equation were still fresh.
"So, how'd you beat it?"
"The bastard saw me fumbling and running around like a headless chicken, and must have assumed I was easy pickings. It just jumped right at me, guard wide open. Me, I was near panicked at the time."
"Was that when you got yourself together and realized you had to have the will to live, or something?"
"Hell no," Ginjou said with a chuckle. "I just thrust my sword forward, hoping to do anything, and by dumb luck it speared itself right onto my sword. All I had to do from then on was hold on and twist, and the thing eventually died. After that," Ginjou said, shaking his head, "it evaporated, and me, shocked as I was, I fell over on my ass, covered in blood. Mostly my own."
"It's never easy in the beginning," Ichigo said, "but I at least had a teacher. I was at least… pretty fit. Karate, and all that. How'd you get along? You said you were just a normal guy back then, right?"
"I was," said Ginjou. "Never touched a sword in my life. I wasn't fat or anything, but I can't say I did anything more thrilling than a jog in the park until then."
Ichigo felt a little impressed, although he reminded himself not to take all of what the man said for granted.
"So, what'd you do? Actually… how did you kill that hollow? Do you have some kind of special weapon… these fullwhatsits?"
"Fullbring," Ginjou corrected him, "but no, I didn't really have one at the time. Fullbrings don't usually manifest the way your kind of weapon does, anyway."
"So, what did you use?" Ichigo insisted.
"Well…" Ginjou said, and paused, giving Ichigo a strange look. "I used my own zanpakutou."
"What?"
"Hate to spoil the thought you are unique, kid, but you're not the first substitute shinigami."
Ichigo frowned. "You were a substitute? How?"
Ginjou shrugged. "It wasn't too different from your situation, really. I bumped into a wounded shinigami. Got some temporary powers. Helped him close a job. The Gotei Thirteen saw I had some power, and offered it to me as kind of a part-time job. I guess they were short-handed at the time."
"What? That doesn't make sense. Rukia told me it's a crime for them to-"
"My handler was Ukitake Jushirou," said Ginjou calmly, "thirteenth division. Handsome, white-haired fellow. Great with people, not so great in health."
Ichigo blinked. That was, from what he could recall, a very accurate description of Captain Ukitake.
"And then, of course, there's this," he said, reaching into his jacket pocket. Ichigo's eyes widened as Ginjou pulled out the unmistakable shape of a substitute badge, identical to his own.
"That…" Ichigo trailed off.
"You got one too, huh? Well, I don't know their rules, or how they work, or if I'm an exception," said Ginjou with a shrug, and put the badge back into the folds of his jacket.
And neither do I, Ichigo thought to himself, not really, not more than what they're like on the surface.
"What I do know," Ginjou continued, "is that I got a job offer, and I accepted. If I'd known exactly what it meant, I might not have, but I did. I was young, you know? It seemed awesome. This whole other world of monsters and spirits? Running around with a sword and protecting the weak? It was like… I dunno, Harry Potter meets King Arthur, or something, only I was living it. You know what it's like, don't you? Having all this power you never had before? It's…"
"Intoxicating," Ichigo said with a nod.
"Like some high you never had before," Ginjou said, nodding back. "You're living the fantasy of being a great hero, and sure, it's got its hard knocks, but you're down the rabbit hole and you don't even know it till it goes real dark…"
Ichigo had to admit, it was almost scary how much this mirrored his own experiences. Granted, he seemed to have been fated for this long before he knew of it, whereas Ginjou had stumbled into it, but the feeling was the same. Out of words, he simply nodded.
After a pause, Ginjou said, "I didn't mean to get all gloomy. My bad, man."
"No, no, it's interesting," Ichigo reassured him. He felt… strange. His head hesitated in trusting any of this as true, but his heart accepted it. And if it were true, it cast the Gotei in a strange light, a light that would demand some answers. What had happened to cause him to leave? "Are you still a shinigami?"
"No," said Ginjou, shaking his head, "I left that one behind. I channelled my strengths and talents into fullbring instead. After that whole… affair ended, I went on the run. Kept a low profile. My old life? Gone. Instead, I dedicated myself to finding people like me. People like these kids. My kids. Teach them to handle their abilities. Defend themselves."
Ichigo nodded. "So, your… fullbring. What's that like?"
"You curious?"
"Show it, don't show it. I don't care."
But he was curious, actually. He'd like to know. What was fullbring, exactly? How did it work?
"Sure, sure," Ginjou said, and fiddled with a small chain around his neck, pulling it over his head and holding it up. A small pendant was attached to the chain. Ichigo watched intently. Suddenly, there was a small burst of spiritual energy, and the pendant morphed, expanded, grew. For a second it was an amorphous mass of reishi, and then it smoothly took the shape of a claymore, a European-style broadsword, nearly as long and thick as Ichigo's own.
"Cross of scaffold," Ginjou said proudly.
"That…" Ichigo said, staring at it. "That looks like it would invite some kind of immature joke about overcompensation. I'm probably not the right one to talk, though. Mine's even bigger."
"By girth, maybe," Ginjou said with a chuckle. "Hell, I must be rubbing off on you, kid."
"I thought you said fullbrings didn't usually manifest like normal weapons?"
"Mine does. Maybe it's a remnant from my shinigami days, maybe it's just a coincidence, but this is my ability, my weapon. Does the trick against hollows. I really hope I won't have to try it against anything tougher."
Ichigo examined the blade. If he hadn't seen it change a second ago, he would have taken it for a well-made, expertly forged sword of hardened steel, exotic yet still practical. There was the low hum of reiatsu subtly working from its core, weaker- or perhaps better controlled- than the output he would expect from a zanpakutou. It was an impressive sight.
"For self-defense, huh?"
"To be honest, when I pulled it out giving you a hand a while back, it was the first time in years I had drawn it. We try to stay out of trouble. Usually works."
Ichigo nodded, and Ginjou recalled the blade, which shrunk back to its minimal size in an instant. He put the chain back around his neck, sliding it under his shirt.
"Pretty nifty, huh?" he said with a grin, "Very portable. Kinda like Thor's hammer."
"You know," said Ichigo, "you put on a slick front, but you're kind of a nerd, aren't you?"
Ginjou laughed. "You got me. Although if it took you this long to figure it out, I'm questioning your intelligence."
Ichigo leaned back into the couch, feeling thoughtful.
"I might have time for one more drink before I gotta run," he said, "just one. Tell me more about hunting hollows."
"You got it," said Ginjou, getting to his feet to fetch another soda. Ichigo watched him carefully. Was this a good idea? Or, was he getting in over his head? Either way, there was no denying that he had started to enjoy his time here. He had to tread carefully.
Rukia hurried to her feet when she heard her brother enter, painfully aware that she was wearing only a bathrobe; she had showered just before and she was still damp. She cursed quietly to herself, furious that she had let herself be caught in such an undignified garment. She was staying with the revered clan head!
He had been late from work, which was hardly unusual, and she had made herself comfortable- maybe too comfortable. Maybe if she dashed toward her room-
Too late. Her brother strode into the room, and Rukia noticed he hadn't even changed into his gigai. He dragged his feet, and Rukia noticed, as she scrambled to her feet, that something seemed… wrong. He looked weary, and wordlessly, he slumped into the couch of the main room, staring out into the air with a glassy look, seeming not to even notice Rukia.
"Er… greetings, brother," said Rukia, bowing. There was no response, and she considered backing away, out of the room, to perhaps avoid making a fool of herself, to perhaps change her clothes before he noticed. He seemed pretty distant.
But, then she paused, and looked at him. This was… unlike him. To seem expressionless and indifferent was certainly what anyone would expect from the noble Kuchiki Byakuya, famed for his dispassionate bearing, but it looked different now. He sat motionless, and save for breathing, he was entirely still. His hair was ever so slightly out of order, and the fact that he hadn't bothered to adjust it spoke volumes.
"Brother…" Rukia said, slowly edging toward him, making sure her robe was tied on tight. "Brother, is everything alright?"
Normally, she would not have dared ask the question, but as of late they had spoken more than usually. More than they had for all the time they'd known each other, in fact. For whatever reason, he seemed to have opened up a little.
"Brother?" she dared for a second time, when he did not respond.
"Everything is alright," he said. The words were controlled, calm, perfectly enunciated, and just a little too quick. It sounded rehearsed.
"As my revered brother says," Rukia said hesitantly, sitting herself down on the opposite end of the couch. Nervously, as if afraid to offend him just by looking, she turned her head to see. She had seen him worse, certainly, but something had upset him. She was sure of it.
"It's a disgrace," he muttered under his breath, as if speaking to nobody.
"Brother?"
"It is… nothing to be concerned with," he said reservedly, turning ever so slightly toward her, "just… work-related troubles."
"Brother, in all my years with the clan, I have rarely heard you call anything 'disgraceful' unless it was severe."
He gave her a strange look, and Rukia wondered if she had taken one step too far.
"It is disgraceful," he said slowly, "for a clan leader to show weakness. To expose himself, vulnerable and weak. To anyone. Is that not so?"
"It is the commonly held tradition of the Gotei's noble clans," said Rukia diplomatically, knowing that her brother had always taken that virtue more seriously than most noblemen, perhaps more so than any one of them.
"To have it thrust upon oneself…" he muttered, "to make a man violate his own sense of self, is that not disgraceful? Is that not shameful?"
"Brother, what are you talking about?" Rukia said confusedly.
"There has been an… irregularity."
"Irregularity?"
"Within the context of my battlefield conduct. Our commander has found it… unstable. Disgraceful. I believe she called me a danger to myself and others."
"What?!" Rukia exclaimed, a sudden outrage growing inside her. "That's crazy! How could Erza- I mean, Commander Scarlet say that?"
Was it some sort of vendetta, some sort of grudge? They had always been different people, Erza and her brother, but to think she would use her newfound command to abuse her power over mere differences of character…
"I am being disciplined. Quite severely."
"This is the disgrace!" Rukia said angrily, raising her voice. "How could she? Your conduct has always been exemplary, brother! You must file a complaint with the captain-commander. No matter how good she may be, she has no right to treat you this way!"
"It was merited."
Rukia paused, mentally reeling like she had hit a brick wall, and her anger began to turn into confusion.
"I do not understand, brother. You have always-"
"I behaved recklessly on several occasions. In retrospect, my actions were… unwise. I believe she is treating me more kindly than I would have treated her in the same situation."
Rukia blinked. "Brother, what did you do?"
Very briefly, with the minimum amount of words needed to form a sentence, her brother described to her what had happened. His growing frustration, his recklessness, his… incident. Rukia listened, and realized toward the end that her jaw had dropped. This sounded nothing like the brother she had always looked up to.
"I am facing censure," he finished. "Unfortunately, my punishment is of a kind that I find particularly abominable."
"What is she doing to you?" Rukia said, struggling with the emotions her brother's confession had brought. It angered her to think Erza would in any way harm her brother. She understood Erza would hate him for what he had done, and she never expected the woman to understand Gotei nobility, but to punish him like this was as certain a way as there ever was to drive a wedge between them. But, to then hear that he thought the punishment fair, to think that he- Kuchiki Byakuya, her exalted brother, exemplar of the Kuchikis, greatest of the clan leaders, most exalted and august of anyone she'd ever known- to think that he would have acted so recklessly, so emotionally…
It was not that she blamed him for it. It was only human to feel these emotions. All the same, it damaged her view of him. He wasn't so untouchable after all. He was fallible.
Perhaps that wasn't such a damaging thing.
"I am being forced to attend… therapy," her brother said, his lip briefly curling into a sneer of distaste. Rukia almost laughed; on its face, that was such a trivial thing to despise. But, then she remembered it was her brother, and knew why it would be so hateful to him. He had been taught, by others and himself, to keep his heart hidden away. To be made to expose it… that was cruel, even if Erza probably didn't appreciate that it was.
"Forced?" said Rukia. "Brother, you must refuse. She may be commander, but she cannot force you to do that."
"I was given a choice to either attend sessions or be sent home."
Rukia blinked, again confused. So… he wasn't forced, after all?
"Then… you ought to resign from this mission in protest. She would be worse off for it. There is no shame in that."
"I cannot," Byakuya said firmly. "In fact, I believe I'd rather die."
"Brother…" said Rukia quietly, staring at him. There was a finality to his words, underlined and sealed with a quiet anger. Was it… still for her?
"Why?" she inquired.
"I have erred," he said simply, "gravely. It must be set right. That, I cannot do from the comfort of my mansion. I have need of this, as I need air to breathe or food to eat. To me, this is no choice at all. It is like a choice given to one with a blade to one's neck."
"I am sorry to hear that," said Rukia, shaking her head. "I will talk to her. Perhaps I can convince her to see reason. We're old friends, after all."
"No," he said, gently shaking his head. "You must not, Rukia. In fact, I forbid it. She must not get the impression that I am attempting to get out of this discipline. If she does, she might send me back. I could not bear it."
"I won't," Rukia assured him. It was the first actual command he had given her since before the events that had nearly seen her dead, she realized; not once until now had he made her do anything at all.
"I… find it challenging," he continued, unprompted, "deeply challenging. Today, I spoke to Medical Officer Kotetsu about my… childhood, of all things. It came more easily than expected, but at the same time, it disgusts me to expose that part of me."
"You said it came more easily than you thought?" Rukia said curiously.
He nodded.
"Then maybe… maybe it could work," Rukia said quickly. "It's good to have somebody to talk to. To vent your concerns with them."
"How so?"
Rukia took a second to carefully consider her words. "If I am worried about something- let's say I've offended a superior, and I am to have a meeting with them to discuss my conduct. This would cause considerable stress in most people, would it not?"
"In… most people, yes," said Byakuya, and Rukia realized he would have a difficult time empathizing with her example. He had rarely disappointed a superior, and he hadn't had many of them in the first place, given his exalted position.
"Even if I felt stress, even if I felt fear about it, talking to a friend about it would relieve it. Even if nothing else changed, even if I was disciplined harshly, having had somebody to talk to about it would have alleviated my stress and improved my state of mind."
"Objectively, that makes little sense. Nothing has changed about your situation. You would still face the same exact problem, would you not?"
"Yes," said Rukia with a nod, "but I would still feel better. I'd still be able to face it more calmly. I'm not sure why, but that's just how the mind works. Everyone, or most people at least, need that sort of companionship."
"This is… largely alien to me," said Byakuya thoughtfully, staring into space. "You believe that this practice could be… beneficial to me?"
"Only you can decide that, brother," Rukia said politely, "but it's worth the attempt, I think."
He stared out into space, seeming deep in thought.
"If nothing else," she added, "you could consider it a new challenge to overcome. Or, a duty. Duty is easily understood, is it not?"
"…Yes," he said, after some time, "it is. Duty. This is… duty. It is not pleasant, but duty is not about pleasantry. Duty can be painful, even to the point of costing one's life and limb, but duty is still its own reward. This is… duty. I shall approach it as such."
"Good," Rukia said, nodding encouragingly. "I am sure you will master it soon, brother. There is nothing you cannot overcome. I know it to be true."
"I am grateful, Rukia," he said quietly. "Truly, I am. Your counsel has been… of some worth to me."
"It was my pleasure," Rukia said, lighting up. It had been rather an emotional rollercoaster, this, but if she had been of use to her brother, then all the better.
"On another note," he said, turning his head, "why are you wearing those garments?"
Oh, crap.
It was early morning, and despite being up well ahead of almost everyone else, Erza was not surprised to find Soifon awake and alert by the command central. Sometimes, she wondered if the woman ever slept.
"Nothing to report, commander," Soifon said, giving Erza a curt nod. "Reiatsu output completely within the expected parameters of the surrounding area. No anomalies detected within a one hundred-mile radius of our HQ."
"All quiet, then," Erza said approvingly, quietly relieved. Every day, every moment of peace was precious to her, because soon that peace would be broken. Soldiers would die, and perhaps even the Gotei.
"Quiet indeed," Soifon said, eyes fixed on the screen.
"Did you get any sleep?" said Erza, genuinely curious.
"I fail to see the relevance, commander."
"Sleep deprivation has a real and observable detrimental effect to the efficiency of an agent," Erza said smoothly. She had started to learn how her temporary subordinates ticked, and Soifon took the ability to perform her duties very seriously. "So, did you sleep?"
"Six hours from twelve till six in the morning, commander. As much as I've ever needed."
"Good," Erza said. "I hope you do not take offense-"
"A good commander will make sure her subordinates are performing up to par. I would do no less," Soifon said quickly.
"…Good, yeah," Erza said, hoping the woman was honest with her. "So… I was wondering if you'd care to help me out?"
"What with, commander?"
"As it happens," said Erza, "I could use your help with…
She recalled having a couple words with Yoruichi just the other day.
"She's trying, Erza. She's being friendly."
"That is what this is?" Erza had said, baffled. "She's practically like a ball of ice with jagged spikes. She's been a bit nicer lately, but that's… relative."
"Trust me," Yoruichi had assured her, "she's trying. You should try, too. You should get along with at least one captain on this mission."
Erza had found no fault with that argument. Thinking about it, Soifon had been helpful. She had settled the issue with Isshin, negotiating him into the pardon. She had been alert and helpful in a way she hadn't before. Erza should try.
"Commander?" Soifon said, and Erza realized she had trailed off, lost in thought.
"Hakuda!" Erza snapped quickly. "Yes, actually, I could use your help with a good training session. Captain Kuchiki will be arriving shortly, and I'll cede command to him while we go and train."
"Is that wise?" Soifon said, her tone the verbal equivalent of raising an eyebrow.
"He is undergoing therapy, not treatment for insanity. He is still a capable commander," Erza said, a little surprised to hear herself defending the nobleman. "I see no issue letting him handle things for an hour or two."
Soifon nodded. "As my commander orders."
"It's not an order," Erza said firmly. "If you'd rather keep working here, then keep working here. It's a request. Between… friends."
Soifon sat quiet for a little while. "A request."
"Yes," Erza said, shooting her a cautious smile.
"What would you get out of it, exactly?"
"We've fought all of once, before my exile. At that point, you defeated me almost instantaneously. Your close-quarters abilities are second to none."
"Second to one."
Erza shrugged. "At any rate, they're top tier, whereas mine are serviceable at best. A good warrior learns to master one weapon, but a great warrior seeks mastery of many crafts. I want to be better at hand-to-hand. That is your specialty."
"You might ask Lady Yoruichi."
"With all respect to Yoruichi," Erza said cautiously, "I don't think she takes it as seriously as you do, and I definitely don't think she is as good a teacher."
"That much is true," Soifon conceded with a sigh. "I suppose this data can be handled by our assistants for an hour or two. If you want…"
"I want it if you want it. But I can't imagine you feel content just sitting still all this time, commander of the Stealth Corps?"
Soifon stood up. "I am not, no."
"Great!"
Soifon looked her in the eye. "You can expect me to be a rather harsh teacher."
"Great, because I used to be one."
"The idea of repeated failure does not bother you?"
"Only way to learn."
Soifon nodded approvingly. "Two hours. Ten minutes to assess your current capacities, approximately twenty minutes evenly distributed across the timetable's total to discuss your capacity and flaws, ten minutes spent winding down toward the end. The rest, relentless sparring."
"You're very organizational," said Erza with a chuckle.
"No time to waste," Soifon said curtly, marching toward the door. "Basement, now. Do not waste time. The clock starts now."
"Yes, sensei," said Erza, smiling to herself as she followed Soifon out. The woman had the demeanour of a drill sergeant, but it seemed Yoruichi was on to something after all.
She wasn't sure just why, herself, but Orihime found herself coming to visit Grimmjow frequently these days after school, even with her newfound training under the fullbringers. He was verbally abusive, rude, unkind, and cruel, but Orihime had the patience to see beneath it. He was just a guy, when it all came down to it, only a fair bit more exaggerated.
But, the sight that awaited her when she had climbed down the ladder of Urahara's basement this time was radically different. He sat still, entirely still, cross-legged and with a look on his face like something inside him had died; eyes wide, staring intensely at nothing at all. His fist rested on one of his knees, and the slight tremor of it clenching was the only movement she could detect. She walked up to him, and when he didn't acknowledge her even with his common insults, she became a little concerned.
"Hello?" she tried.
No reply.
"Mr. Jaegerjaquez?" she said, opting for politeness.
All she got was a persistent silence.
Slowly, she sat down in front of him, cross-legged to mirror his stance, forcing him to look at her. At last, he moved, turning his head aside.
"Get out of my way, fuck's sake…" he murmured. The insulting tone was there, but it was deflated, half-hearted, as if he couldn't muster the energy.
"What's wrong?" said Orihime, frowning with concern.
"Nothing," Grimmjow muttered, "you little…"
He trailed off. It was genuinely sad to see him like this, too weak in spirit to even manage an insult. His back was bent forward, and he stared into the ground now instead.
"Something has to be wrong," said Orihime, unsure of what to do or say. How did a person comfort somebody like him?
"It's nothing," Grimmjow said, shaking his head. "I'm… fine."
"You're clearly not, if I'm honest."
"I'm-" he said, raising his head, a very brief flare of anger in his voice, a glance into the man he'd been only a couple days before.
"I'm… not," he admitted, staring at her. "I ain't doing so hot, no."
Not even a sarcastic, defensive remark.
"What happened?" Orihime insisted gently.
"Ever been sure you was on the right path and then end up fucking yourself so hard you've made yourself your own bitch, without even knowing it?" Grimmjow said, his voice sounding hollow. "'Course you ain't. You're young. Your life's roses and sunshine."
"Well, you've made some mistakes and had some hard times before today," Orihime said diplomatically, "and you still refused to accept it. So… what changed?"
"Your mother," Grimmjow said, sounding distant, "she made me… see some things. Had a day or so to think about it. Now I ain't sure about nothing."
"What did she do?"
"It don't matter," Grimmjow said, shaking his head.
"Well, clearly it does."
"Let's just say she got me thinking about… about people I lost. In a big way. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, but I hurt. Fuck me, I hurt, and I don't fuckin' know why!"
Orihime knew why, and it was a suspicion she had long harboured. "You said you lost people. Is that it?"
"I dunno what the fuck that is supposed to mean," Grimmjow said. "They are just… servants. That's what your fracciones are supposed to be, for fuck's sake. Who gives a fuck if they die? They're not… they don't matter. If they're too weak…"
"You used to believe that, didn't you?"
"Fuck me, I did," Grimmjow said morosely. "I did. Didn't need nobody but me. Everyone who weren't an enemy was my bitch, that's how I thought it worked. But… I'm…"
He paused, and slammed a fist into the ground. Gravel sprayed around it.
"What's wrong with me, huh?" he demanded. "What the fuck is going on? Why am I hurting?"
"You're sad because your friends died," said Orihime plainly. "It's normal."
"That… that don't make sense," Grimmjow said, tiredly shaking his head. "They weren't supposed to be my goddamn friends. Companions, maybe." His face twisted into an angry sneer. "When the fuck did that change, huh? I had lots of shitty hollows who died on me when I was climbing the ladder. Don't miss them one bit."
"Did any of them stick around as long as your companions did?"
"This is fucked up," Grimmjow muttered.
"It makes you human."
"I ain't human!" Grimmjow said, his temper flaring up. "I'm above that shit! I'm a hollow, not some goddamn weakling human. I'm a panther, and humans are the prey I feed on!"
"I think," said Orihime calmly, "that it must be very useful to think that way when all you have is fighting. But, you don't anymore."
"I should have never left," Grimmjow said bitterly. "I shoulda stayed in the goddamn wastes. Just them and me, following the hollow's path. The real path. Not becoming Aizen's bitch for a bit of power."
"Would you have made a different choice back then, knowing only what you knew?"
Grimmjow paused, looking puzzled. "…No. Guess not."
"Then don't focus on what should have been. Focus on what is. Focus on what you can do now. You can't change the past, but you can change the future."
Grimmjow laughed, a joyless, airy bark. "Fuckin' human optimism. Gotta love it. Maybe you got a future, but me?" He shook his head, gritting his teeth. "See, I thought I was smart, turning on Aizen. Figured they'd use the dirt to pull the rug out from under him."
"They probably will."
"I was dumb enough to think they'd want to work with me. Forgot their stupid-ass rules. Forgot they can't do something as sensible as teaming up on a stronger enemy. Look at me now, huh? Sitting here, weak and alone. I'm going to die here, if I don't get to be a shinigami's guinea pig first."
"That's not true-"
"Fucking hell, I hurt!" he said viciously. "I hurt, and I don't know what to fuckin' do about it! Is this what humans do? How do you fuckin' deal with it?"
"In so many ways," Orihime said quietly, thinking back to her lost brother, "because we have to. We lean on each other. We talk. We share the memories. We don't forget, even if it hurts to remember."
"See? This shit is why I can't be human. This makes no goddamn sense. Having an arm ripped off, that I can deal with! Blood, pain, trauma, all that shit I been through! But this? What the hell do I make of this?"
"Tell me," said Orihime softly, "if you could meet your friends again, what would you say to them?"
"Say?" Grimmjow said confusedly. "I don't know what I'd say to them. But…" he paused, thinking. "I guess if I could have another shot somehow, I dunno…"
Orihime felt encouraged. The look on his face as he thought back changed, a little lighter.
"What would they say if you told them you were sorry?" she said.
"They'd look at me like I was crazy," he said dismissively. "That ain't our way. But… but if I could have 'em back… if I could, I guess…"
He fell silent for a second.
"I guess maybe I'd… listen to 'em more. Be less harsh on 'em. I'd hear 'em out. I'd try not to treat 'em like my property. I dunno…"
He grit his teeth, hunched over, his face twisting with grief.
"Leave me alone, alright?" he said, flipping himself around with one quick flick of his wrist, turning his back to her. "Look at me now, huh? King. King Jaegerjaquez, that's what I always thought I was. That was my one goal. Now I'm sitting here crippled, alone, weak… I'm king of nothing."
"Grimmjow-"
"I don't need you here, rubbing it in. I don't need you… need you…" His voice trembled.
"If you could make it better, you would, wouldn't you?" She gently reached out, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You'd do it better if you could."
"Whatever. Yeah," Grimmjow said. He took a deep breath, and struck the ground again with a sudden jerk of his arm. "Fuckin' A, I would!"
"Your whole life won't feel this bad," said Orihime reassuringly. "I promise. I… lost my brother once, and at the time, it was the worst feeling I ever had. I was sure it would destroy me. But, it didn't. Life moves on, and so did I. Because I'm stronger than I thought. You are, too. Just not in the way you thought."
Grimmjow did not reply, and Orihime felt a slight tremor in his body. He stared out into space, overcome by emotions long forgotten, anger the only response left to him. Normally, he might have noticed a slight orange flow, but he was too lost in himself; the outside world barely mattered.
"Grimmjow," Orihime said gently, "will you please show me your hands?"
"My hands?" he said irritably.
"Your hands."
"I don't have no hands. I only got the one, you know that-"
Stunned, he stared at his hands, both held up before his eyes. Wide-eyed, he examined his left arm. In disbelief, he raised it to his face, letting the fingers run over his face. It was… unreal. They were there. Every digit, every joint, every piece of muscle and bone, returned to him. Where there had been red, raw scar tissue healing poorly, there was flawless, unbroken skin playing over lean, athletic muscle.
"What the fuck…" he mumbled, amazed, slowly standing up. Orihime stood up with him.
Power welled up in him, raw, unbridled strength the likes of which he hadn't felt since before Aizen had him maimed. His reiatsu, thrown in flux by the imbalance of his severed limb, righted itself, and with a sensation akin to the snap of a bone being set right, it all came back. Weakened by inactivity, but strength all the same, power to rival that of a captain.
"It's coming back!" he said incredulously. "My strength! It's returning to me!"
He threw his head back and laughed, a long, joyous cackle, and he held out both his arms wide, grinning from ear to ear.
"Grimmjow."
Her voice cut through his elation, and he turned around, staring her in the eye.
"The fuck'd you do?" he said, bafflement still spilling over into his jubilation.
"It's a trick I've got. I'm not even sure how it works, myself, exactly."
"Alright," said Grimmjow, giving her a calculated look. "So, what's the catch?"
"Catch?"
"Something for something. That's always how it is."
Orihime shook her head. "I didn't do it because I wanted something in exchange. I did it because I've talked to you for weeks now, and I'm finally sure that you are a better person that you think you are. Because you're miserable and lonely, and you deserved a break. Because you should have a chance to set things right."
"This… is one of those fuckin' human things again, ain't it?" Grimmjow said, stopping himself from objecting to the illogic of it.
"It is," Orihime said with a nod.
"And how are you sure I won't just snap your neck now that I got what I wanted?"
"Because I believe in you," Orihime said, unimpressed by his boast, "and also because Erza would grind you into paste feet first if you did. You're smarter than that."
Grimmjow laughed again, and even now, even in true joy, it sounded a little malevolent. "Fuckin' hell, you're right. But…"
"But?"
"Can you do it again? There's another spot…"
"Sure, no problem. Where?"
He turned around again, and gestured to the scar on his back, where his tattoo had been.
"Get rid of that, too."
"It's a nasty scar," Orihime said, moving in closer. "I can take care of it."
"There's a number tattooed under it," said Grimmjow, "the number seven."
"Your rank as an espada?"
He nodded. "Get 'em, the scar and the tattoo both. I'm done carrying the mark of a fucker like Aizen. To hell with him and his hierarchy. I don't belong to him anymore."
Orihime nodded, and summoned her sprites. There was an orange shimmer, and the scar tissue faded away. For a second, she could see the stylized character for seven before the ink faded away, too.
"It's done," she said.
He turned around and looked her in the eye. There was something woeful in his eyes.
"I still feel it," he murmured, "the ones I lost… D-Roy, Nakeem, Shawlong, Ylfordt… but I feel strong now. I feel like myself. That is… I can't even…" He paused, uncertain. "Well done, is what I'm saying. That's a real useful ability."
"You're welcome," Orihime said happily.
"But, don't go thinking I owe you more than I do, okay?" he said sharply. "I didn't ask for nothing."
"Neither did I," Orihime assured him.
He shook his head.
"You humans…" he said, but the contempt in his voice just wasn't what it had been.
Horary for character development! Much has gone on in this regard. Erza and Momo are finally moving things forward, Byakuya is finally getting the therapy he so desperately needs, Soifon is opening up to Erza more and more and Grimmjow has taken some steps forward in realizing he's far more human than he thought.
But what will come from Bambietta's interaction with Erza and Momo? Just so your not confused, yes, she DOES know who they are, that they are soul reapers, she just didn't plan on running into them.
I also hope that Ginjou is coming off as a rather likeable individual. That's a key thing im trying to go for here and I really need to know if we're getting that down. Don't worry though, we'll give the other fullbringer's a chance to shine too.
But I do hope that all of you enjoyed this chapter. Things are going to get more interesting as things go on. Please let us know what you thought in a review, they help motivate us and let us know what we're doing right and not so right. Thanks for reading!