Chapter 12: Pretty Face
"Great timing!" I exclaimed, and sank to my knees with a relieved sigh.
Kuchiki Byakuya spared me a single glance, grey eyes unreadable, over his shoulder. I noticed his gaze travel slowly over my bruised and bleeding face, my bleeding shoulder, the gaping, bleeding wound in my chest...
You get the drift. I was bleeding. A lot. The grass was painted red with my blood, and that's not even me being dramatic.
Suddenly self-conscious, I smoothed my tangled hair back one-handed. As if that would help.
Of course, Kenpachi didn't let him ogle me for long.
"Byakuya?! The hell! Get out of my way!" he jerked his sword easily out of Kuchiki's hand, slicing into his palm as he did so. My future husband's expression didn't change at all, but I watched a small amount of blood blossom on his white sleeve. I lurched to my feet indignantly. "Hey-!"
"Captain Zaraki," Kuchiki beat me to it, "You overstep. Why are you attacking this student?"
"None of your fuckin' business." Kenpachi snapped rudely. Then his eyes lit up, a challenge sparkling in his crazed eyes, "What, d'you wanna jump in? That's fine with me."
I was expecting Byakuya to make some kind of dour refusal, but to my surprise he drew his sword fluidly and said quite expressionlessly, "I see talking is useless."
I gaped at him.
"Hey, wait a moment!" I said, limping quickly between them, "Don't you think there's been enough fighting?" I pointed at myself. "I'm kinda in need of medical attention, here!" Sure, I was keen to see two Captains fighting - I bet that shit didn't happen every day - but hadn't things escalated enough? Were all shinigamis so quick to turn to violence to solve their problems?!
Byakuya completely ignored me. "Scatter, Senbonzakura." he murmured, and the air shivered with power.
My eyes widened, and I fell back a few steps, staring up at the millions of delicate, shimmering... cherry blossoms?... swirling in the air around us.
This sword release is unexpectedly... flamboyant, I thought to myself, staring at the impassive face of my crush. Too be honest, I had begun questioning my decision to crush on the handsome captain; after all, looks aren't everything. I'm an easy-going person, after all, and I like simple things such as good food and pleasant company. My stalking of the sexy Captain hadn't revealed much in the way of personality; I had begun to suspect he really was just a sulky pretty face. But this development was interesting. What was really lurking behind that stony expression...?
"Hey, Byakuya," I said in surprise, "You're actually... a really passionate guy, aren't you?"
Kuchiki Byakuya stared at the young woman gazing at him knowingly. Ignoring for a moment what she'd just said... Had she just called him by his first name? Captain Zaraki was one thing, but this woman - she really had some nerve...!
And it seemed she wasn't done yet.
"Your hand is injured. Let me see," she said next, with a smirk, and grabbed his hand. He was so shocked he froze up completely. She dared touch him...?
She inspected the small cut on his palm - there was only a few spots of blood staining his sleeve - and looked mischievously up at him with those big blue eyes. "Just superficial," she breathed, her head lowering towards his hand, "Don't worry... I'll kiss it better..."
WHAT THE FU-!?
I pouted as Captain Sexyhair abruptly jerked his hand away, glaring at me with those stormy grey eyes. Oh yeah, now I could see it, behind that impassive facade of stillness. He was bad-tempered, impulsive... possibly sexually frustrated (which might just be wishful thinking on my part, but you never know...).
It took a few moments for him to get all his feelings in order. Eventually he managed a "Don't touch me." his tone as even as if he was simply remarking on the weather.
Too smooth, Sexyhair, too smooth. I thought smugly. I'm not fooled. You're probably swearing at me inside.
I stuck my tongue out cutely and shrugged - instantly regretting it, as something ominous crunched in my shoulder at the movement. Yowch.
Kenpachi burst into raucous laughter. "BAHAHAHAHAAH! Oh, I didn't know you were together!"
"Yes." I confirmed immediately.
"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya said at the same time.
"Riiiight," I teased him with a smirk, sidling closer, "Of course there's nothing going on..." I sent Kenpachi a very obvious wink, making him laugh even harder.
"What are you doing?" Kuchiki asked, staring at me.
"Do you wanna go out with me?" I blurted. Funny, I usually had more tact than this. Didn't I?
He stared at me in disbelief for a moment, before very deliberately turning away and gazing fixedly into the distance.
I felt a glow of triumph spreading within - he'd almost seemed frustrated there, and had chosen not to reply. His cool exterior was already starting to show cracks.
Realizing he was intruding on a (soon-to-be) lover's spat, Kenpachi finally sheathed his sword. "Okay, okay, I'll stop fightin' your girlfriend for tonight," he promised Byakuya, whose impassive expression darkened a fraction.
Yup, definitely hiding a lot of fire there.
He grinned at me, showing all his teeth like a shark, "But don't think this is over - get nice and healed up for round two, 'kay? We'll have some more fun soon."
"Uh..." I couldn't exactly fake enthusiasm for that, could I?
He gave a casual salute and flash-stepped away.
Byakuya's cherry blossoms faded on the air, as he sheathed his sword, too.
Silence.
Well, not completely.
A cricket was chirruping somewhere nearby.
Chirrup, chirrup, chirrup...
Said the cricket.
Byakuya looked at me at last, expression unreadable. "Let's return; the Fourth Squad should have arrived-"
I flopped dramatically to the ground. "I don't think I can walk..." I looked at him meaningfully, holding out my one good arm so he could lift me up, princess-cradle-style...
His unimpressed stare didn't change one bit, and then he merely turned on his heel and walked away, haori waving in the light breeze.
I pouted and bounced up to my feet again, limping fast to catch up.
Ah well, it was worth a shot.
Emerging onto the field beside my rescuer, I was relieved to see the familiar and reassuring silhouette of my favourite captain, surrounded by busy members of her Fourth Squad. They had stretchers out and were in the process of removing the unconscious cretins who were the first to attack me.
"Retsu!" I chirruped happily, limping forward with a friendly wave (using my good arm).
Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of my blood-drenched figure.
"Raen! What on earth-!" she strode forward and took a firm grip on my shoulder, evidently expecting me to keel over at any moment.
"I'm f- bleugh," I spat out a piece of lung, "-fine."
Her mouth narrowed into a thin line and she manhandled me easily onto a waiting stretcher. I had to admit, lying down felt nice.
"Stay," she warned me, in a tone I knew better than to argue with. She turned to Byakuya. "Where is Captain Zaraki?" she asked calmly. The air was heavy with killing intent.
Even he seemed wary of her mood as he replied stiffly, "He departed about ten minutes ago."
I noticed her hand flexing menacingly at her side. "I think I'll have a word with him..."
I struggled into a sitting position, the torn muscles of my chest protesting painfully. "Retsu, not you too!" I complained.
She turned and looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Stop moving. You shouldn't even be talking in your condition."
"Why does everybody have to fight?" I asked wearily. "Besides, he didn't do this to me," I gestured vaguely at the hole through my chest. "I got stabbed in the back by three of my classmates before he arrived."
Renji, who I hadn't seen since he'd had bis stomach almost booted through his spine by Kenpachi, caught my last sentence and joined us. "That reminds me, I have some questions before I can write up the report on what happened here."
Unohana frowned, "She shouldn't be talking."
I felt relieved as she knelt at the side of my stretcher, no longer on the way to beat some sense into Kenpachi. Which was good, because I was beginning to think all shinigami were bloodthirsty thugs at heart.
"I just want to understand why all of this happened." Renji hastily assured Unohana.
I narrowed my eyes at him from my increasingly comfortable lying position. "You're not still going to arrest me, are you?" I asked suspiciously.
Unohana turned an incredulous look on Renji, "I should think not!"
I couldn't see her expression from my angle, but suddenly Renji paled and waved his hands placatingly, "Of c-course not," he stuttered weakly, "Raen isn't getting arrested! I wouldn't- That is to say, it was merely protocol to-"
Byakuya gave an almost inaudible sigh. "Renji."
Renji turned to his Captain in relief, "Yes, sir?"
"Just ask your questions and let's wrap this up."
"Of course." he took a moment to compose himself.
In the meantime, Unohana's hands had begun to glow with a powerful healing kido over my chest, and I couldn't help a relieved whimper at the blessed cessation of pain. At my muffled sound, I sensed Captain Sexyhair's impassive gaze on me again. What was he thinking about? I put it out of my mind for the moment, simply enjoying the sensation. Instead of the agony I'd been somehow ignoring, it felt as though cool water washed over my wounds, soothing my torn flesh and muscles. And ruptured organs... shattered bones... severed nerve endings... slashed arteries... and-
"Your injuries are horrific." muttered Unohana, a frown on her gentle face. "I can't believe you're still conscious, never mind walking around without help." She sent a disapproving glance at Byakuya, who blinked.
"If she could walk, she's obviously not that badly injured." he stated coldly.
Unohana opened her mouth to keep arguing-
"He's right, Retsu, I'm fine." I said weakly, and coughed. Yeah, I was seriously injured, but at the same time... I was feeling weirdly good. Being fussed over was kind of... nice. Everyone on the field was there because of me. Unohana cared for my well-being, Sexyhair jumped in to save me from getting beaten up any further by Kenpachi... Who was the cause of all the drama, since he had taken an interest in fighting me.
They all knew my name. My existence meant something to them.
Just a few hours before, I had felt lonely and unwanted, a pariah among my own peers at the Academy. Even though I had ended up getting impaled, having some positive attention was certainly a nice change.
"You're not fine," growled Unohana, sounding fierce despite her gentle appearance, "Your reiatsu is unusually dense, which is why I suspect you're still alive, but this was a serious attack. And this whole time you've been in terrible pain-"
"Mm." I nodded fervently, "Please don't stop healing yet." I begged. Now that the adrenaline had well and truly worn off, if Unohana stopped healing me, the pain would probably be even worse.
Byakuya was also frowning at me now, in... surprise? Had he really thought my wounds weren't that bad?
Renji finally entered the conversation, crouching down on my left. "So, why did this all happen? Why did your classmates attack you in the first place?"
"Because they're assholes?"
"Raen, be serious." he admonished.
I sighed. "Well... I've been using the training fields for several days now. They wanted to kick me out, and refused to compromise when I said we could share." I cleared my throat uncomfortable, tasting the tang of blood from talking.
"That's it?" he seemed skeptical.
I huffed. "Yes, that's it. They were very unreasonable. I was kicking their asses in-" I gave a painful cough, "-hand-to-hand, but then three of 'em got behind me, and..." I gestured vaguely with my uninjured hand at my chest wound.
"Is that when you released your reiatsu?"
"Mm." I hummed vaguely, wondering if I should keep my conversation with my zanpakuto secret. For some reason it always felt too private to discuss these things with others... It was my sword, it was my soul... Somehow, drawing attention to my abilities didn't seem like a smart idea. Although, it was a little late for that, now.
"It's not surprising her reiatsu spiked to the extent it did," Unohana suddenly added, looked very serious, "It's pretty clear they were aiming for your Hakusui - your Soul Sleep." she stated, glancing at my injuries with experienced eyes. Byakuya narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as his gaze drifted to the unconscious students laid out on the stretchers. From his cold look, I surmised that they were going to be in a lot of trouble. How much trouble? Like, execution-trouble? They had tried to kill me, but I didn't want...
I tried to refocus on what Retsu had said. "What does that- hrrk-" I hacked a cough, spitting blood impatiently, "...mean?"
She raised her eyebrows at my ignorance, but her tone remained patient as she explained, "The Soul Sleep is a pressure point located in your spine. Generally, if it is hit correctly with spiritual power it forcibly takes away access to your reiatsu. In other words, you would no longer be a shinigami."
"Those bastards!" I exclaimed, horrified. I would have been less upset if they had just been trying to kill me. Especially now that I'd just met my zanpakuto. I would learn his name soon, I knew it. To have all of that ripped away would be unforgivable.
"Quite." she agreed, her lips twitching in amusement at my exclamation. "It seems that they hit it imperfectly, however, so there was no permanent damage. And in fact, the exit wound," she indicated my bandaged chest, "Is directly over your Saketsu - your Binding Chain - which is a different pressure point. That may explain why you briefly lost control of your spiritual power."
"I see." I thought for a moment. "All things considered, I'm... pretty lucky, I guess?"
Unohana smiled at my upbeat attitude, and raised a green-glowing hand. "I'm going to help you rest now." she explained. "You'll wake up some time tomorrow. Judging by the density of your reiatsu, you should be completely healed up in about a week."
I smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks," I said sincerely. My gaze travelled past her to Byakuya, who was looking at me again. "You, too, Byakuya. I appreciate your help." Something about the coldness in his eyes as he had stared at my foolish, unconscious classmates bothered me, though. I felt my smile slowly fade from my face as I regarded him. My tone became serious, for once. "Don't-" I coughed again, but I was determined to finish speaking. "-Don't be too harsh on them, Captain Kuchiki."
Whether it was my unusual use of his formal title, or the tone of my voice, I didn't know, but his expression shifted, contemplative. Appraising me as if trying to read my thoughts. "...Why?" he asked at last.
"This world only recognizes the strong," I replied, holding his gaze unflinchingly, "They must have been under immense pressure to prove themselves worthy of the Advanced Class. My arrival probably threatened their hard-earned positions; their actions were out of fear, not malice. I would like for you to keep that in mind."
He made no reply, but it seemed like he was thinking about what I said, and that's all I could do. With a sigh I relaxed and let my head tilt back, eyes fluttering closed as exhaustion swept over me.
"Sleep, now." Unohana murmured, and I felt her cool palm lightly touch my forehead.
The welcome darkness took me, and I knew no more.
Unohana Retsu rose gracefully to her feet and shook a few loose strands of grass from her haori. She turned to the other Captain, who was still gazing down at the now-unconscious young woman with an indecipherable expression.
"Not just a pretty face, is she?" she commented quietly.
His dark grey eyes flicked up to her immediately, but he made no reply.
She gave a knowing smile.
He made a dismissive huffing sound and walked away.
It had been a night full of surprises.