PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS. That being said, any author loves getting reviews. Know how you feel about characters, situations, or even voting toward the next chapters, is always great.
I'm trying to get as much done for this story as I can, simply because I have a few days to work on it.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE REVIEWER WHO SIGNED SIMPLY AS 'WIND' FOR LEAVING THE FIRST REVIEW AFTER I POSTED MOMO AND TAKESHI'S STORY. THEY VOTED THAT KENPACHI BE THE NEXT, AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE IT!
So, thank you again Wind for leaving me the review. I am glad you are enjoying the story, and for you, I give you Kenpachi. -bows- I would also tell you, that I had plans for giving Ikkaku and Yumichika stories nearly as soon as the idea for this story came to mind. Like they would leave their captain alone to suffer!
WARNING!- This story is rated Mature for a reason. Sex, swearing, its all here. If you are uncomfortable reading such things, then I humbly request you move on (and not send me hate mail for ruining your minds with images you won't forget. . .-drools-).
KENPACHI ZARAKI Part 1
Kenpachi set on a grassy knoll, having sent Yachiru away for the time being. She had skipped off, a little upset, but nothing that she wouldn't get over.
He glanced down of the Seireitei, now realizing why so many people had begun to arrive in droves. How many people outside the Thirteen Court Squad Guards had known about these marriages before they did? Did the old man send out some kind of poster, begging for daughters and women to come, and flaunt themselves before them?
Kenpachi spat on the ground, remembering the couple of women who had dared to approach him as he had walked back toward the Squad Eleven barracks. They had offered themselves, cooed over his muscles, and one unfortunate girl had decided to touch him. Captain Unohana had let him know that her broken wrist would heal in time.
"Served the bitch right." Kenpachi muttered. "If she were stronger, she coulda tried to fight me off. I would have let 'er go then."
No, instead she had fought like a . . .woman. She had clawed at his face, nearly knocking off his eye patch. That wouldn't have been good for anyone. . .And was the real reason that he had broken her wrist. Well, her wrist broke when he threw her away from him, and she had landed on it wrong. . .as she crashed into one of the many stone benches that had been placed around so people could sit.
"This whole thing is a damn joke." He grunted, standing and sliding his zanpakuto into place. He began his walk back to the Seireitei when he decided to take a detour and visit the Zaraki district. He couldn't remember the last time he had been there. . .and while he was feeling sorry for himself, he might as well take a trip down memory lane.
It didn't take long to get there once he decided to pick up the pace.
Entering the district was. . .weird. He had so many memories of it, but none of how he got there. He had often wondered if he had been one of the many numerous murders, thieves, or rapists that holed up in the piece of shit district. With no memory though, he had no way of knowing. Though he would like to know his past, he felt that some of it was best left buried.
People watched him warily. Most of them here, wouldn't have been around when he was first here. No, people in the Zaraki District died much to soon and quickly to remember faces of the past.
Around every corner, women were trying to sell themselves for money to eat, or pay of debts. It's not like he cared for their business, and they never made it known why they did it. . .other than needing the money. Men set together, playing games of dice, trying to find a quick way to earn money. . .or lose it.
Vendors had small stalls set up, trying to sell foods or everyday items that people needed. The smart ones had body guards that scared any thieves away. The dumb ones never lasted long.
Kenpachi continued his observations as he walked down the street, turning the corner, and heading to where the fights were normally held. An old warehouse, and surprisingly still standing, housed a small arena where men could go, pay a fee, and fight. The winner took home fifty percent of whatever money came in. Kenpachi wasn't afraid to admit he had entered a few fights himself. . .after he had came into caring for Yachiru. On his own, he didn't care or need a lot of things. A little girl though. . .she needed good food, clean water, warm clothes. He was her. . .father, friend, and companion.
A small smirked tugged his lips as he opened the door, hearing cheers and roars, alerting him that a fight was either going on, or close to beginning. If the crowd was anything to go by, it would be at least worth a watch.
He stood at the back of the crowd, easily standing a head or more over even the tallest people, and stared at the two combatants in the ring. One was, surprisingly, female. She stood stiffly, arms crossed under her large (but not overly so) breasts. Her clothing consisted of a pair of skin tight, red pants of unknown material that tucked down into a pair of knee high, worn, and rugged black boots. Her chest was covered by a form fitting tank top of the same material, ending just above her belly button, allowing the men to gaze on that few inches of smooth, but muscled flesh. She was tall for a woman. . .taller than the man she was fighting too.
Kenpachi tilted his head and decided she was nearly six feet, if not six feet itself. She was thick. . .yet thin. She was a slender woman who had trained hard to fight, packed on muscles in a good way, and yet, was still feminine, as shown with her breasts and the slight curve of hip and her backside. Her hair was a deep brown, long, wavy, ending just at the small of her back. She had it in a tight pony tail, keeping it away from her face, while her eyes were a violet color.
Her opponent was an inch or so short than she was, bald, scared, and had a bit of weight. The only real remarkable thing about the man was his golden colored eyes. He held a large maul in his hands, and was busy undressing her with his eyes and making lewd comments that the men, well, the whole crowd, agreed with.
"Damn woman don't have no place here." The man in front of Kenpachi said. "They should just throw her out before she gets the shit beat of her. Then again, if she is hurt badly, she couldn't put up a fight, could she?"
The man's friend laughed and grabbed himself. "Bet with all the training she does, she doesn't have time to get a good fuck. Bet she is tight. I'd love to sink into that."
Kenpachi twitched his nose, and grabbed the two men's head, before smashing them together. The pair slumped to the floor, unconscious, and no one had even seen what happened. Kenpachi stepped over them, moving forward a little more to study the woman more.
This. . .was what he looked for in a woman. If she fought with any real skill, he'd consider taking her on as a wife. He had to marry, so why not marry someone who was at least a little resistant to some pain.
"All right! All right! Quiet down so we can get this started! We all know the man on my left!" The announcer said, coming to the middle of the ring and standing between the pair. "This, however, is the lovely Takeda-san's first time in our ring, and she admits to only being in the Zaraki district for a week."
Kenpachi let his gaze slide over the crowd, and even he could feel the malicious thoughts that oozed out of every man. If the woman didn't win this fight, or was badly injured and won anyways, she'd have a hard time. She'd be no better off than those women on the streets, begging to be taken and paid for their services.
"So, what brought you to our little arena, Takeda-san?" The announcer asked.
"It's none of your business. Just start the fight." the woman, Takeda, snarled.
The announcer backed away, then glanced at her opponent, and finally, at the crowd. His eyes swept across them before he shrugged and yelled, "Begin!"
Her opponent immediately charged her, swinging his heavy maul above his head and brining it down, to deliver a direct blow to the top of hers. However, the maul simply stopped, mere inches from her. The man was obviously struggling, while Takeda just stared at him, emotionless.
"You bitch!" The man snarled, "What kind of trick is this!"
"Trick?" Takeda asked, uncrossing her arms and reaching forward slowly. "No trick. This is the difference in being a brute with muscles, and being a fighter with spiritual energy. My spiritual pressure has stopped your maul from getting close to me. And my spiritual energy. . ." She trailed off and flicked her finger at the center of his chest, sending him flying. She obviously had excellent control, and was even better at hiding how strong she really was.
Kenpachi felt his tongue slither of his lips at the thought of getting her in a fight. Her opponent was obviously not getting up, and the announcer, in obvious disappointment, declared her the victor, and handed over her share of the winnings.
"This bag is too light. You wouldn't happen to be trying to scam me, because I'm a woman?" Takeda said, throwing the small pouch of coins up. "This amount barely equals to a fourth of your proceeds from today."
The announcer growled and spat, "You should have given us a better fight, woman."
Without any warning, she swung her fist back, clocking the announcer in the face, busted his nose, lips, and several other places on his face. As the man began to fall back, Takeda grabbed him, reaching into his robes and pulled out a couple bags of money, each heavy with coin.
"Since this is the lawless district, consider this me taking the law into my own hands. You fucked with me, so now I am fucking with your personal funds. This money, is mine." She snarled. She stalked over to the corner of the arena where a small bag set, obviously holding her belongings. She grabbed it up, stuffed the coin purses into it, and exited the arena, slamming the door behind her.
Kenpachi was quick to follow.
Takeda was well aware that someone was following her, but she felt no real threat from whoever it was, even though her skin was crawling. Then again, her skin had been crawling ever since she had come to this dump. Wonder lust had gripped her though, and she had stayed in her old village for far to long. People began to ask questions, her history, even tried to court her. She didn't need that in her life.
Life to her was simple, but grand. It was about fighting for the right reasons, exploring the world, tasting the fresh air in the morning, feeling the dew in the grass as you walked it, bare footed. It was the smell of oil as she took care of her zanpakuto, it was children laughing as they played games and didn't have to worry about being haunted by the evil of the world.
Therefore, she was always on the move. Sadly however, it seemed less and less people needed her help. More and more people were running to the safety of the Seireitei, abandoning the villages that were far out of reach of the grand city, if you could call it that.
The war had ravaged the land badly, and many people had died. She had stayed and protected her old village the entire time, pleased that it suffered the least amount of damage anywhere. That's how she had been given the name; Takeda. It meant- warrior rice village. She was there warrior of their little rice village, and they had choose to call her that when she refused to give up her real name.
Names were too personal. Names meant attachment. She, in their honor, told them that she would carry the name Takeda all her life, as her last name. She didn't have one, and they wanted to honor her how they could. She wouldn't throw it back in their faces, no matter how unwanted or unneeded it was.
She made a stop at a food vendor, buying enough to put a pleased smile on the man's face. She took the wrapped food and slid all the bag handles over the sword sheath before carefully resting it over her shoulder, using it hold the weight, and not squish the precious packages.
From there, she stopped at a candy vendor, and bought their largest selections of candy, pushing those packages into her bag, which was ready to burst at that point.
She continued on down the way and made one last stop at a vendor that sold precious, clean, cool water. He stored it in jugs, keeping the dirt that circled the air from it.
"I need four of these." Takeda told him, chucking her coins onto the old worn table. She turned and looked up at the old building behind her, spotting Kenpachi easily. "If you're going to follow me, at least make yourself useful."
Kenpachi was a little surprised when she turned and addressed him. He thought about spitting in her direction and leaving. . .However, he was curious as to what she was up to. She had purchased twenty-five bento boxes, enough candy to make even Yachiru sick, and now, was getting fresh water.
He knew he could consume a large amount of food, due to the vast amounts of spiritual energy that his body contained. Training, keeping in shape, and keeping those levels required it. Any Shinigami worth their salt consumed at least twice as much food as any normal man with a large appetite.
He jumped down, landing softly and approached. Without any real word to her, he hefted the large jugs into his arms and began to follow her as she walked away.
"I normally have to juggle this by myself." Takeda told him with a bare glance over her shoulder at him. "Well, I normally only need about half the supplies. . .numbers have been increasing though."
'What numbers?' Kenpachi thought as she led him from the district and down a barely there path between the tall grass. This area normally housed thieves, waiting for the desperate who flocked toward the Seireitei looking for work or some kind of way to survive. Some came in hopes of being good enough to be noticed by the academy and taken in too.
They walked until the sun was beginning to leave the sky, painting everything in orange and gold. It was only then that she turned off the path and walked into the dense woods. Further in was some kind of structure, horribly put together, and seemed like it barely stood.
"When the sun sets, and the world is more precious than gold, a crow will cry out, looking for its lost love." She called.
Kenpachi didn't miss the sound of a bolt being drawn back from the door and a small dirty face of a boy peaked out.
"Takeda-chan!" He cried, throwing the door open.
Takeda walked forward, throwing a quick glance at Kenpachi over her shoulder that told him to follow. As soon as they were in the structure, the door shut behind them and was locked again.
Takeda carefully set down her packages on an old table, and Kenpachi set the heavy water jugs down beside it, worried the table would collapse under such weight.
Around him, children's faces made themselves known, all dirty, some injured, and all underfed. They gazed at him in obvious fear, but were also trusting of the woman who was bringing them food.
"Is Choko here?" Takeda called, drawing Kenpachi's attention back to her.
"She's laying down." A little girl said, coming forward with dirty and matted blond hair. Her temple showed a large scab where someone had obviously struck her, and it had been left to heal on its own. She would have a scar. "She isn't feeling well."
"Well," Takeda said, as if the problem were taken care of. "I brought you all some food, but I don't want you to be angry because I bought two boxes for Choko. She needs all she can get."
The children seemed to all nod in understanding at her, none throwing a fuss or even giving her dark looks.
"There's some cups up there." Takeda told him, turning to face him and pointing at a shelf behind him. "If you would kindly get them and give the children each a cup while I give them their food and a small bag of candy each, I would appreciate it."
Kenpachi did as she bid, walking to the shelve and easily grabbing the two dozen cups of various make, even though they were all the same size. Some were chipped, some had cracks, though not bad enough to cause a leak, but they were all mostly clean. Like these children took the time to ensure that they would stay good as long as they could keep them so.
He walked back to the jugs and knelt down, pulling the cover off of the first one. Takeda seemed to take that as her cue, handing each child a bento box and bag of candy as they approached her. Never did they crowd, push each other, or fight. They told her thank you, even thanked him when he handed over the water, and each found a place to settle down and eat.
Finally, only one bag of candy remained, and the two bento boxes. Takeda reached above the table and took an old canteen down, handing it to Kenpachi to fill with water. Once is was full, she motioned for him to follow.
They exited the large main room, with its dirty floor of twenty-three children. He had to duck to enter the doorway that led to a hall with a just as low ceiling. They passed a couple of doorways, where Kenpachi could see old blankets, tattered clothing, and even broken toys. The children's rooms.
Takeda stopped at the door at the very end of the hall. Unlike the other door, it had a blanket covering it, keeping him from seeing what was inside.
"This is Choko's room. She will probably. . .be naked. Don't stare and don't get to close to her. Okay? As a Captain in the Thirteen Court Squad Guard, I expect you have some kind of honor in you."
Kenpachi couldn't help but sneer at her. He was about to give her a crude retort when she pushed the blanket aside and revealed a heavily pregnant girl. A GIRL! Not woman. She looked to be around the age of thirteen-fourteen at most. She barely had any breasts at all, and her body hair was none existent.
"Takeda-chan." The girl said, weakly, but with a smile on her face.
Takeda approached the girl, sitting the food packages, and candy beside the girl on the floor, and helped her sit up.
"How are we doing today, Choko?" Takeda asked, her eyes soft as her voice. "I brought you some food. Two bento boxes, so you and the baby can be as healthy as possible! There is even some candy, if you feel up to it."
Choko gave another weak smile before glancing at the food. "You know it won't be long before I am dead, Takeda-chan. I am too small, too young, to be having a baby. It's far to large for my body."
Takeda didn't deny it, but she didn't let the pain that crossed her face be seen by the girl either.
"You don't know that." Takeda replied gently. "You could live to be older than anyone else here, have a hundred babies."
"Even if that were true, Takeda-chan, I'm just an orphan from the streets, pregnant from rape. No one would take me in."
Kenpachi swallowed hard, looking away from the girl at last. He took a few steps forward, and held out the canteen of water.
The girl, small as she was, and obviously in pain, smiled at him and took the water. Takeda had to take the lid off for her, but the girl obviously appreciated the cool, clean liquid.
It took a while, but Takeda did manage to get the girl to eat one bento box, and a little of the next. The girl didn't touch the candy at all, but finished her water before laying back down on her dirty pile of blankets to sleep again.
"Why didn't anyone try an' get the girl help?" Kenpachi asked once they were outside the structure.
"No one helps anyone in the Zaraki district unless coin changes hand. Even then, the chances are that your coin will be taken, and you will never see the help you paid for. The doctors here are jokes, and the few real midwives that are here, have all told me they have no way of helping her at all. She is too small, too young, to be having babies." Takeda said, her eyes emotionless. "She can't even walk anymore. The kids have give up some of their blankets, so every day, they can take her soiled one down to the river to wash, and she will have fresh clean ones to lay on. They have no clothes that will fit her, and do their best to help her and keep her spirit up. You see though. Even helping these kids as I am, they all await those futures."
Kenpachi looked away, then up at the sky. He needed to get back to his barracks before Yamamoto sent out some kind of search party to demand his return. He hadn't, after all, put in any time for a official request to take off. The woman was strong, but prying her from these kids wasn't going to be easy. In fact, she wouldn't leave them at all if she could help it. He's have to critically injure her to get her back to the Squad barracks, and even then, he'd have to convince her of marriage.
"Bring the little pregnant girl to the Zaraki district tomorrow. Wrap 'er in blankets. I'll meet you there."
Then, he was gone.
Kenpachi found himself meeting the old man, Captain Yamamoto, late at night. The Captain of the First Squad looked none to happy to be disturbed so late at night.
"What was so important you needed to bother me at this time. Surely it could have waited until tomorrow." Yamamoto griped.
Kenpachi smirked at him. "I found a woman."
"Good for you. Was that all." Yamamoto asked.
"No. She's in the Zaraki district, and there is no way I can bring 'er here. . .unless I get a little help." Kenpachi continued, shifting his weight and crossing his arms over his massive chest. "She is taking care of two dozen kids there. One is a little girl, and heavily pregnant with a child that is the product of rape."
"What do you wish me to do?" Yamamoto asked.
"Offer them places in the academy. The kids need all the schooling they can get. You said we didn't have enough recruits. If the kids have what it takes to become a Shinigami, then they're already in the school. If they don't, give them a good basic education, and then help them find jobs. As for the pregnant little girl, she needs all the help she can get. She won't make it through the birth. If ya do that, I can promise you I will be married within a week." Kenpachi finished, hating having to ask for help. But he well couldn't just show up with a bunch of kids at the academy and demand they get an education. It would take money, and someone with more authority than he had. Well, political authority. If it was a simply matter of beating the shit out of them until they agreed, it would be easy.
Yamamoto regarded him for a moment before grabbing a piece of paper from his desk, as well as a brush and ink.
"Very well, Captain Zaraki. Only because we are in desperate need of more recruits. I will not force the woman into some kind of black mail marriage. You deliver this to her, explain what you have done, and then its up to you to win her over. If she finds a new pet project, I won't offer my help again, understood?" Yamamoto opened his eyes to peer up at the giant captain.
Kenpachi nodded and waited until the letter was dry and Yamamoto had already wrote a letter to the academy and sent if off as well.
Only then, did he return to the Squad Eleven barracks, barely looking at Yachiru as she bounded up to him, and went into his rooms.
Takeda help Choko carefully against her chest, glaring at any man that dared step within a ten foot distance of the pair, and waited for the massive captain from yesterday. She had gotten Choko up as soon as the sun's light began to creep across the sky, and had began their journey toward the Zaraki district.
Now, the sun was fully in the sky and the streets were bustling with people.
She bit her lip, hoping that he hadn't forgotten, or even lied to her. Not for the sake her own pain, but the pain in knowing that Choko could have gotten help. Not to mention, even though the air was good for the pregnant girl, she was absolutely petrified when she had seen the Zaraki district come into view.
A shadow fell over them, and Takeda turned slowly, relieved to see the captain come into view, a large clean blankets thrown over his shoulder and a paper held in his hand.
"We need to get 'er out of those old blankets. I'll hold 'er while you swap 'em as quick as ya can. I'm sorry we have to do it here, but there is no where that's safe to take 'er to do a quick change."
The massive captain took the pregnant girl into his arms, holding her easily, while Takeda carefully unfolded her from the blankets. With a quick movement, she ripped the old blankets off and spread the new thick warm blanket over her.
The massive captain then carefully wrapped the girl up, settling her against his chest again. He held the paper out toward her.
"What is it?" Takeda asked warily, taking the paper.
"It you get the kids to the gates tomorrow before sunset, then they'll have a free ride to the Shinigami Academy. If they have spiritual powers, they'll stay on and receive the training they need. If they don't, they'll still get a good education, and then they will get help to find good jobs." He muttered gruffly, looking away. "And I'll be taking this little girl to Squad Four, so she has the best medical staff looking after 'er."
Takeda glanced up at him, in shock, before opening the letter and skimming over it. "Why did you do this?"
"I'll discuss that with ya tomorrow when you drop the kids off. I'll be waiting at the gate."
Again, he was gone, this time, with Choko going with him. She prayed the girl would be okay. Then she ran off, ready to get the kids ready for tomorrow. She'd make sure their best clothing got washed and dried over night. They'd get baths too, their hair would be brushed and washed, and they would look the best they could when they went to the gate tomorrow.
Kenpachi set outside of Choko's room, waiting for Captain Unohana's report on the girl. The Squad Four Captain had been appalled when she had laid eyes on the pregnant girl when Kenpachi carefully unwound her from the blanket, holding her up for her to see and do a quick check (weight, height, etc). He had kept his eyes averted the whole time while the little girl had clung weakly to his arm, afraid that he'd drop her and hurt the baby.
Captain Unohana had urged him to set her on the bed and then leave the room as several more members of the medical core were called into the room to assist her.
Captain Unohana stepped out finally, looking exhausted, and more disturbingly, covered in blood,
Kenpachi rose quickly, alarm rising. If something bad happened, his chances with that Takeda woman were ruined, because she would surely want to stay involved in the kids lives.
"The girl is resting with the help of some powerful pain killers. She's receiving some healing right now. The baby, which we decided was far enough along to survive outside the womb, is a boy. He's a large baby weighing just over ten pounds. We estimated that the girl was only about seven and a half months along. If she had carried it to term, which was looking slim, it would have surely killed her. As it stands, it probably would have killed her when she went into labor. No midwife from the Zaraki district could have helped her." Captain Unohana murmured.
"What are ya going to do about the baby?" Kenpachi asked.
"He will reside in the same room as his mother. He is doing fine on his own, and I'm assigning a female to be the girls personal nurse. At the moment, we are simply using a breast pump to extract milk from the girl, and feed it to the baby boy in a bottle. When the girl is awake and well enough, she can tell us what she'd like done with the baby. Do you know anything about her? The father?"
Kenpachi slumped a little. "Kids name is Choko. She got raped down in the Zaraki district. Some women called Takeda has been taking care of 'er and a bunch of kids."
Captain Unohana nodded. "Well, we estimate that the mother will not awaken for at least two weeks, with the extent of damage done to her body; not just from the pregnancy. From not moving about on her own, some malnutrition, and feeding a lot of her spiritual energy into the baby when there wasn't food. By the time her body is fully rested, she should be back up to normal on her spiritual energy, and with treatment, she should just be able to walk right out of her bed without needing physical therapy. I'll have some of my best on her. Besides, this will be good training for them when it comes to all the other pregnant women we will have in the future to take care of."
"Whatever." Kenpachi grunted, and turned to leave.
"The girl, Choko-san, would like you to name the boy though. She couldn't think of any good names, but she said she'd like you to pick or, or it will carry your own name." Captain Unohana gave a small giggle. "I think she finds you to be her personal hero."
Kenpachi rolled his eyes and turned back to face the female captain.
"Let's see the brat then."
Captain Unohana led him back into the room, a thick curtain pulled around the girl. Even then, Kenpachi could see that at least four people were surrounding the bed, working on the girl.
A young woman set in the corner of the room, holding a baby in her arms and feeding it from a bottle.
Kenpachi stopped just short, starring down at the baby with golden colored eyes that he knew he had seen recently. Thankfully though, the rest of the baby reminded him of Choko. Same nose, if not a little squashed, dimples in the cheek, and the same dark dirty blond that could almost pass for a light brown.
It was then that he remembered those eyes. . .
He turned to leave the room before saying over his shoulder, "Name the kid Kentaro. He's a big baby, after all."
Takeda had the kids up before the sun had even rose, dressed, and on their journey. She planned on taking the long way to the gate, not wanting to march the children through the middle of the Zaraki district. If the scourges of the district decided to attack, she had no way of knowing if she would be able to keep an eye on every kid.
She's much rather march them through the fields where she could test the area for spiritual energies and safely lead them without running into bandits. Besides, some of the girls, the oldest having just turned twelve, would have been in more danger than anyone else. If not for someone raping them, they would try and sell them to some of whore house.
It was way after noon before they could see the gates coming into sight. Despite the long journey and only two brief breaks, the kids didn't once complain. She had told them up front about what the captain had done for them, and none of them were stupid enough to turn down a chance at education and a better life.
She glanced back at the kids. Youngest was only four, while the oldest, a boy who refused to talk, was apparently coming on fifteen. He was small though, probably do from the lack of food he had been forced to endure in his life.
"Halt." A Shinigami called as she approached.
Takeda did so, the children stopping behind her, all waiting.
The Shinigami moved forward, raising an eyebrow at the group of children, and her. "What brings you to the gate?"
Takeda held the letter out. "Captain Yamamoto is giving these kids from the Zaraki District a chance at the academy. I was told by a large captain with the symbol for 'eleven' on his back, to bring the kids here. He said he would be waiting." She didn't see him though.
The Shinigami looked over the letter, but one look at the signature and seal had him waving the gates open. On the other side, stood the massive captain, leaning against a pillar just inside, and glaring at many of the people around him.
"Enter." The Shinigami told her, stepping aside.
Takeda led the kids forward, all of them looking around in wonder. As they approached the massive captain, he seemed to finally take notice of them and straighten up. What surprised Takeda even more was the little pink haired girl that popped up over his shoulder, staring at the group of them as well.
"Who are they, Kenny?" the pink haired girl asked.
"Is Kenny your name? You don't seem like a Kenny." Takeda joked.
"The name is Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad Eleven." the massive captain finally introduced himself. "This is my lieutenant, Yachiru."
Takeda blinked and then mentally berated herself. She should have put the facts together and figured out this was the infamous Kenpachi of Zaraki. The man though, wasn't completely like his description described. . .or maybe things had changed. She was always told of his hair being styled into large spikes, topped with bells, and an eye patch that had chain coming off of it.
This Kenpachi though, while his hair was spiky and had been styled so, was done in a careless style, without the bells. His hair obviously was past his shoulders, maybe even touching the top of his shoulder blades, and his eye patch seemed to stay in place without the straps that normally was used to hold it there. So, no chain. It was, however, lined in a grey color. He was fetching, like this. The old stories made him sound like some kind of crazy demon.
Realizing she had been staring, she looked away quickly before looking back and saying, "Well met, Captain Zaraki. You know who I am, of course, and the kids. Nice to meet you too, Lieutenant Yachiru. It's nice to see a child who is so powerful and well taken care of."
Yachiru seemed to blossom under the praise and abandoned Kenpachi's shoulder for her own. "Are you going to join our squad? Are you bringing all these kids with you?"
"No, Yachiru. And get back over here." Kenpachi said gruffly. "We're taking the kids to the academy."
Kenpachi began to walk away, and Takeda followed with the kids in tow.
The academy had welcomed the kids with open arms, getting them set up in rooms, two to each one, and the kids were ecstatic. They were quickly measured so they could be fitted for school uniforms and some casual clothing. The younger children would start out in a special class added for them to get them up to par with other children; learning to talk, write, etc. Some of the older ones needed to learn to, but they would be kept with other older kids who were learning all of this too. The poorer districts didn't have schools, so it was up to the academy to ensure they could do well in their classes.
With tearful goodbyes and hugs from the children, Takeda left, feeling like she had accomplished what she needed to do with them. She wasn't ready to move on just yet, so she'd find someone else to help in Zaraki until the wonder lust hit her again.
"There's a good bar this way." Kenpachi said, nodding in a direction she didn't catch. With that, Yachiru waved goodbye to them and took off, obviously not old enough to drink, or be at such an establishment.
Takeda followed, eager to have her hands on some sake. She never really got to indulge in alcohol when she was always busy watching over other people.
When they got to the bar, she was surprised to be led into a back room where a low table sat with plenty of plush pillows surrounded it. Kenpachi immediately sat down, propping a new up and resting a thick forearm on it. She decided to sit across from him, as sitting anywhere else seemed to intimate. And she wanted the obstacle of the table between them. The few times she had been in fights at a bar, the table had saved her life. Of course, she was still green then, barely trained in sword fighting and hand to hand combat.
She could beat most people blind folded now.
"Sake, and bring some food in here too. Whatever you got that is good." Kenpachi told the waitress as she entered the room.
The waitress quickly bowed and left the room, leaving the two of them alone.
"Thank you, again, for helping the kids out. How is Choko?" Takeda murmured, breaking the silence.
The waitress walked in, placing several bottles of sake on the table, and a cup in front of each of them.
Takeda raised an eyebrow at the sheer amount of alcohol but shrugged. Kenpachi lifted a bottle and held it toward her. She lifted her cup, and he filled it for her, before he filled his own.
She took a sip and hummed in appreciation. It was the good stuff.
"Captain Unohana made the decision to cut the child out of 'er." Kenpachi began, not sugar coating anything. "They believed the kid was pretty strong enough to survive once they had cut him off. They have Choko drugged up while she heals, and expect it to be two weeks until she is well enough to wake up. They are giving 'er the best medical attention though, and there is a live in nurse right now, who is taking care of the baby while Choko heals."
"Boy or girl?" Takeda asked, taking another sip of the sake.
"Boy, I named him Kentaro." Kenpachi muttered, his eyes darkening in anger.
Takeda felt a small tendril of fear slither down her spine. "Why did you name her baby?"
"The girl apparently asked me too. Well, she told Captain Unohana to tell me to name it, or she'd name it after me." Kenpachi muttered. "The boy weighed over ten pounds, and has gold eyes. Other than that, looks like his mum."
Takeda froze from taking another sip of her sake, her own eyes going cold and angry as she met Kenpachi's fierce gaze. "Gold eyes, huh? Only have met one man in Zaraki that has golden colored eyes. . .other than you."
Kenpachi had been lifting a bottle of sake to pour himself another glass, but it shattered in his grip at her words. His lips twisted in a snarl. "I hope you really don't think that girl would have willingly gone with me if I was her rapist. I thought ya believed Captains had some honor?"
Takeda shrugged and finished off her sake. "It was just an observation, poorly made, and said as an after thought. You did have golden colored eyes. . .though now they're kind of grey."
Kenpachi gave a shrug. "I was told they take on a golden glow when I am in a fightin' mood. Guess it has something to do with my spiritual energy. It manifests as a golden or yellow color."
Takeda picked up a new bottle, ignoring the shards of glass on the table, as well as the mess, and poured more sake into Kenpachi's cup. She then filled hers, taking another sip.
The waitress brought in mounds of food, and quickly gathered up the broken pieces from the sake bottle and disappeared.
"Eat." Kenpachi told her, grabbing a rip of a giant platter of them. "And don't worry about pussy footing around and actin' like a lady 'round me. Could care less."
Takeda grinned and also lifted a rib, happy to rip off a piece of meat and enjoy the flavor. "So, you going to tell me why you did all of this?"
Kenpachi swirled his sake around in his cup before draining all of it. He had been civil, more so than he ever had been anywhere else. He could call this a bit of a date, right? He helped her with her little pet project. Surely they were in good enough standing. "I have to marry within a year."
Takeda nearly spit out the sip of sake she had just taken, but managed to swallow it, sputtering and coughing as she did so. "What?" She asked, tears streaming down her face.
"All the captains and lieutenants have been ordered to marry, except for Yachiru, because she's still to young." Kenpachi continued. "When I saw ya fight, I knew ya were the one I needed as a wife. Don't need some weak woman."
Takeda put her glass down and stared back at the massive imposing captain. "So, if I don't agree to marry you, all the help you gave me goes away, is that it?"
Kenpachi shook his head. "No, the kids are in fer good. I knew ya wouldn't leave 'em, so I got 'em the help they needed."
"I have no plans on marring Captain Zaraki." She said coolly, and formally. "I go where I am needed to help people that need it. You, don't need my help."
She rose, turned to the door, and slid it open. Just as she had it almost closed she heard: "But ya needed mine."
She gritted her teeth and finished sliding the door closed before she exited the bar, her gut cold. Why would anyone help those kids. She believed him when he said that the kids were in for good, but he had expected her to want to make the payment anyways. It was just like she had said; In Zaraki, people only helped people who had coin.
It figured that the man from Zaraki, who had even taken it as a name, would expect her to make the payment, with her life and body.
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Takeda was about ready to pull her hair out. While he hadn't actually approached her, she could feel Kenpachi's presence, constantly. He was watching her, and at some points, scared off potential fighters with the weight of his stare. Men had been ready to fight her, only to look around and panic like spooked horses. Next thing she knew, they were gone.
"You son of a bitch. Show yourself. I'm getting damn sick of you following me around all the time. If you want me so bad, why don't you do something about it?" She snarled, turning to face the empty woods were she prowled for predators.
Kenpachi was in front of her like that, gazing down her with a wicked smirk on his face, while his eyes were cold as ice. "Ya called."
"State what you want and then be on your way, Shinigami." Takeda spat. "Because I won't put up with this for much longer. I am ready to move on just to be away from you!"
"If ya beat me in a fight, I'll leave ya alone." Kenpachi nearly purred at her.
"I am not stupid enough to except a challenge from you, Captain Zaraki." Takeda huffed, turning to leave. "Just move on Zaraki. I am sure there are plenty of Shinigami women who are strong enough to put up with you."
"A challenge then?"
Takeda turned and raised an eyebrow. "At the arena tomorrow. If ya can cut me within ten strikes, I'll leave ya alone. If ya don't, ya have one more chance to strike me. If I strike ya before ya strike me, we marry."
"You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" Takeda asked warily.
"No." He answered, and it was an honest answer.
"Fine." Takeda murmured, turning to walk to the old battered home the children had lived in. She would stay the night there, and mentally prepare herself for what was to come.
"If I win, we get married immediately and there will be a weddin' night!" Kenpachi yelled after her.
Takeda stopped, looked back at him, then nodded. "Very well." She wouldn't lose."
Takeda entered the arena for the first time in several months. She doubt they would have welcomed her back anyways, not with her knocking out the announcer/owner. They guy had it coming to him though.
Inside the arena, it was more packed than she had ever seen it. Unsurprising though, she doubted the money that was brought in today would go to either her or Kenpachi. It was all in the pocket, and it was obvious that good word spread fast.
She made her way to the roped off section, and set her bag down. Her whole life was in that bag. There was no memory of her past, just a blankness that was dark and vast. With all the women she had saved in the past and dealt with, she often wondered if she had repressed her past to protect herself. Maybe she had no past because she was one of those few souls that came to the Soul Society with no memories, or maybe something took them from her. The day she woke up though, it was naked, in the snow, clutching a sword that was without a sheath.
She had laid there until an old woman found her and took her into her home.
She stirred her mind away from those thoughts. The old woman had given her a name, found someone to train her to use her sword and control her spiritual energy. What happened to the old woman who was like her mother was unfair and cruel. That's when her life of traveling had begun. She didn't want to stay in one place too long, didn't want to get attached. She didn't ever want to feel that kind of pain again.
"Glad ya showed."
Takeda barely kept herself from jumping when she heard Kenpachi's voice in her ear. She had been so distracted with her thoughts, she hadn't realized he was approaching. Probably the equivalent of ignoring a Menos Grande as it attacked. She snorted at the thought and turned to face him, barely having to lift her face to gaze into his eyes. She gave him her best blank scare. She wasn't afraid, she was going to give her all, and she would be doing her damned best to win this!
"Well, we have quite the little match today!" The announcer yelled out to the crowd. The lovely Takeda-san has to agreed to a little challenge from none other than the Captain of Squad Eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki!" The crowd was going crazy. The announcer waited until they were quiet again. "The rules are, Takeda-san has ten tries to cut Captain Zaraki. If she fails, she has one last shot, but it must be done before he injures her. Failure to succeed results in Takeda-san's marriage to the Captain Zaraki."
"Put that bitch in her place!" Became the favorite thing to yell at that moment.
Takeda couldn't help the sneer that curled her lips, but Kenpachi just motioned for her to get in the ring for the challenge to begin.
She got in, drawing her zanpakuto, and waiting.
Kenpachi got in, and threw off his coat and began to undo his top. Once he was only in his hakama pants only. She had to take a moment to enjoy the strong muscles that played across his body. He wasn't, by any means, the most attractive man she had ever seen, but he took good care of his body, and scars were just somehow a little more sexy.
"Feel free to release yer sword if ya feel the need." Kenpachi told her, then licked his lips in a way that made her want to call the whole thing off and run. He was too smug, and that worried her. Like he had some secret that she should know.
She drew a deep breath in and let it out, focusing her entire being down to him. He was the enemy right now, he was the one standing in the way of her moving forward. To move forward, he needed to be cut down.
She stepped forward and swung with all her might, but her sword just stopped when it touched his skin. A small vibration worked its way down her sword and into her hands, then arms. She stepped back, surprise showing on her face. His skin was armored with spiritual energy. . .Probably just as natural as hers, only he kept it close. Much closer than she did.
She tried again, putting a healthy chunk of her own spiritual energy behind the swing, but came up with the same result.
Kenpachi, for his part, didn't smirk or gloat. He just kept his arms down, with his sword held loosely in his right hand, waiting until the eleventh strike would come.
Takeda closed her eyes for a moment, and tried once more, pouring a hell of a lot of spiritual energy into it. Still, nothing.
She leapt back a little ways and touched her blade gently with her left hand. "Rumble, Yama no Seishin!" She held her sword easily, knowing that it looked no different to anyone else. It was all about what her Shikai could do though. The sword was immensely heavy, not to her, but in its swing, she could easily select how much weight went behind the swing. In short, she could put a hell of a lot of weight behind it, the heaviest being around four tons.
She jumped and swung again, bring the sword to strike his left shoulder. She'd give him a matching scar to go on the other side of his torso.
Nothing.
Every time she added more weight, and she added it a ton at a time, having started with one ton behind it. She had struck him seven times now.
Only three tries left.
"Jishin, Yama no Seishin!" She cried. (Quake, Mountain Spirit!)
Her zanpakuto transformed into a giant hammer, with the back side holding a long wicked sharp point. She twisted it around till the spike faced downward. One good hit from this and she could change the face of a mountain if she so choose. If this didn't hurt him, then she was screwed.
Three hits later, she was quickly let her zanpakuto go into its normal state to make the sword swing quicker.
Kenpachi was faster though, and her felt the trickle of blood running down the side of her neck from where his sword rested.
"Looks like we're getting' married." Kenpachi said, a smirk twisting his lips.
Takeda snarled and sheathed her sword quickly and retrieved her bag. She was such an idiot! Of course he would know that she couldn't beat him.
As she threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she caught sight of the last man she had fought here. . .and he was the man that raped Choko.
She threw one look at Kenpachi before she bound toward the man, drawing her sword as she went. When his head fell to the ground and the crowd freaked and moved away from her, Kenpachi grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder.
"Stupid woman." He muttered, kicking the door open, and leaving with her.
"What's your name?"
Takeda sighed and looked at the older man in front of her. He introduced himself of the Captain Commander, and Captain of Squad One. His name was Yamamoto something or other. "Yukino Takeda."
"Just sign here. Kenpachi made it very clear he didn't want a ceremony, so marital papers will have to suffice for your marriage." Yamamoto said, sliding a paper across the desk along with a brush and ink.
Takeda sighed and grabbed up the brush. With a quick dip in the ink she scrawled her name across the paper and sealed her fate.
Kenpachi was quick to do the same, then motion for her to follow him.
All ready, the day was late in the Seireitei. Many people milled around looking at stalls, moving into small restaurants to get food, or even head home.
"Ye'll be stayin' with me in the Squad Eleven barracks. It'd do some good for Yachiru to have a women 'round some." Kenpachi told her.
Takeda sighed and glanced at the signs painted up on the walls. "We stopping somewhere before we go to the Squad Eleven barracks?" She asked.
"No."
"Then why did you take a left, when the sign back there clearly indicated that Squad Eleven is to the right?" Takeda snapped.
Takeda. . .No, she was just Yukino now. Yukino Zaraki. She nearly spat at the name as she tried to relax in the shower. Hot water beat over her tired body, and all she wanted to do was sit down and cry.
Kenpachi explained why she was here. Two children, that's all he needed from her. When the second child was at least two, she could beat the road and be free of him. It was so cold, impersonal, and yet demanding over her. She wasn't used to being ruled, by anyone. She had always been her own person, doing what she wanted, planning what her life was going to be like.
Now she had a husband who was telling her that she was a but a breeding mare for him. She pounded the tile wall, which was apparently reinforced to withstand a beating, because her knuckles split on contact.
To make matters worse, she felt cool air at her back for a moment, and knew Kenpachi had entered the shower with her. She tried to take a few breaths to calm herself, knowing that this is probably where it would start. . .the sex. Just by looks alone, she knew he wouldn't be kind or gentle in his love making. Hell, she'd be lucky if he wasn't a selfish love.
Kenpachi's rough battle-scared hands smoothed from her shoulders, down her back, briefly stopping to wrap around her mid section. His thumbs smoothed over her flesh for a few moments, before he pulled her back against him.
His erection was hot and heavy as it was pressed at the top her butt, and lower back. One arm wrapped around her to hold her in place, while his other took a hold of her hair and jerked her head up so she was forced to look at him. "I only take women from behind. I don't do none of that romantic crap." He told her.
"Just do whatever. I want this to be done with so I can rest." She murmured.
Kenpachi shoved her forward gently, and she caught herself from falling by bracing her arms on the tiled wall. That must have been what he wanted, because he held her in place with a strong hand on her back.
For a moment, it was quiet, and she was tempted to look behind her to see what he was doing. That was when she felt him bite the back of her thigh. Only so many years of practice of holding completely still kept her from jerking away from him. He bit, none to gently, until he worked his way up to her womanhood. He spread her cheeks apart with large hands, before his tongue snaked out and gave a long lick.
Yukino bit her lip to keep from crying out. It had been so many years since she had been with a man. It was never about love, only mutual needs. She wasn't afraid to say that it had been a long, long time since she had taken care of such needs. Kenpachi was doing a wonderful job at fixing that problem, with tongue alone.
She gave a keening cry as her orgasm overpowered her and only Kenpachi wrapping a hand around her hips kept her from falling.
She trembled like a new born colt, take in little gasps of breath while every nerve ending in her body seemed to come alive. She was well aware of when Kenpachi stood and without any kind of warning, shoved into her. It hurt, but while she was still riding out of aftershocks of her orgasm. . .it felt good.
He wasn't gentle. There was no sweetness to it. His hips slammed into hers, and only her strength and holding herself away from the wall kept her from a serious injury. His hands held her hips just a little to tightly, his strokes were just a little to deep, bumping her cervix. It bordered on being almost too much pain. . .It was also just the right amount of pleasure though.
"Getting close." He grunted out.
Yukino let one hand drop down to stroke that sensitive bundle of nerves, ready for another amazing orgasm. When it ripped though her though, she wasn't prepared for his orgasm though.
"Damn it woman. Too tight." He bit out before giving a long, throaty groan. His seed filled her, feeling as scorching hot as lava, and exiting with enough force to somehow keep her orgasm going.
When he pulled out and released her, she slumped down the wall, sitting there, with the shower spray running down her back, and washing small bits of evidence of their sexual encounter.
She looked up, and he was gone.
Author's Note: O.O Wow. I was working on this, unsure of where it was going to go. Next thing I know, I've typed up like 18 pages worth. -scratches head- I'm trying very hard to keep everyone within a two-part limit. Kenpachi might (that's a very long stretch too) be three parts. I mean, look how long it took for him to get the damn girl!