Chapter 9: Senbonzakura
It was evening. It was always evening in his world. The moon was full and bright, just like always. He enjoyed looking at the full moon. It put him to peace, and helped him relax. A cool night breeze flew in, and gently rustled the cherry blossom trees he was proud to call his own. The wind loosened a petal, and it drifted slowly to the ground, landing softly on the dirt, right in front of a metal shoe. The fully-armed samurai stared down at the petal for a few moments, and then ignored it as he walked right past it. He approached the tree that had lost the flower petal, and inspected it closely. When he was finally convinced that there was nothing wrong with it, he carried on to all the other trees, carefully making sure that each one was in its healthiest and happiest.
Finally satisfied that all his trees were in the best shape they could be in, the samurai walked all the way to the back of his small but pleasant world, and he knelt down, facing the trees. He placed his hands on his lap, and simply sat there, as though waiting for something. He enjoyed this time; every twelve hours he would check his trees to make sure they were healthy, and then he would kneel down to admire the beauty of them. Every other twelve hours, once he'd finished his inspection, he would kneel down and fall asleep. He had a very good sense of time- he was, after all, the zanpakuto of a noble. A proud noble, at that.
Byakuya Kuchiki, head of the Kuchiki Clan. Otherwise known as the captain of the Sixth Division. He was a skilled fighter, and always had a calm exterior, even in the most dangerous of times, along with the fact that he'd practically never lost a fight as captain, ignoring the time with the boy, Ichigo Kurosaki. Senbonzakura knew that he should feel honored to be the zanpakuto of such an accomplished man. Of course, however, who was the one doing all the fighting? Byakuya, or him? Although Senbonzakura did have to hand it to him, Byakuya was excellent at Kido, the captain had never won any battles with only Kido alone. It was always Senbonzakura.
Senbonzakura knew that such thoughts shouldn't be running through his mind. He was a zanpakuto, and a zanpakuto's first loyalty was always to his wielder. For the most part, he really did like Byakuya. He had mourned the death of Byakuya's wife with his master, and had fought alongside Byakuya against the Substitute Shinigami and that wretched Zangetsu. He had helped defend Rukia against the three traitor captains, and had battled the Seventh Espada when the foul Hollow had dared to attack Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki. The poor snow zanpakuto hadn't stood a chance, after tiring herself against the Ninth Espada. Senbonzakura considered Byakuya a friend, and a good friend at that. He was just unsure of how Byakuya felt of him.
He was fairly certain that the noble only thought of him as a zanpakuto, nothing more than a weapon. But that was okay with him; most other Shinigami thought that as well. However, there were a few zanpakuto who seemed to have become friends with their wielder. Senbonzakura had witnessed a handful of Shinigami worrying over their zanpakuto if they thought there was something wrong. Rukia Kuchiki and Toshiro Hitsugaya were among them, the masters of Sode no Shirayuki and Hyorinmaru respectively. They were the lucky ones, of course.
Some Shinigami went as far as to disrespect their zanpakuto. A well-known example was Shuuhei Hisagi, wielder of Kazeshini. Those Shinigami completely ignored their zanpakuto, and rarely even used them. But the number of that sort was only in the single-digits, as a Shinigami's main weapon is their released zanpakuto. How Hisagi had even gotten a rank, let alone become lieutenant, was beyond Senbonzakura. How could the man fight if he never released his weapon?
And, of course, there were the Shinigami who had a neutral respect towards their zanpakuto. Byakuya Kuchiki was one, as were most of the other Shinigami. They released their zanpakuto multiple times, and though they never went out of their way for their zanpakuto's safety, they had a well-enough acquaintanceship. Of course their zanpakuto mattered to them- without their zanpakuto, they would have nothing to fight with- but if they didn't very much care if they somehow hurt their weapons' feelings. And it was for that reason that most other zanpakuto never felt very much compassion for their wielders. Loyalty was a given, but rarely compassion.
"All beings long for compassion," Senbonzakura recited. "Everyone, and everything, needs a friend. Animals mate, and humans marry. Every Adam must have an Eve, for that is why God created two, a man and a woman."
"Then I can only imagine the abandonment and loneliness you must be feeling right now." A man's voice cut through his thoughts.
Senbonzakura blinked twice, and realized that, without he even realizing it, a man had entered his world. This man was tall, about the same height as Senbonzakura, and had messy black hair. He wore a long coat that covered his entire body, and had a large fur collar surrounding his neck. His red eyes were narrow, and he looked as though he hadn't slept for at least two days. Shadows surrounded his eyes, although Senbonzakura was unsure if this was because of his lack of sleep, or if he had put them there himself.
"Greetings," Senbonzakura said. There was no point in being hostile; if the man was tired, he probably posed no threat. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Yes, actually, there is." The man replied. "But first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Muramasa, and I am a zanpakuto."
Senbonzakura blinked under his mask, and then nodded in return. "I am Senbonzakura, and I am also a zanpakuto. Now, what is it that you need help with?"
"Let me ask you: do you feel that your wielder has neglected you? You just said so yourself that you felt little to no compassion for him. A partnership can only continue if both sides are pleased with the other, but clearly you are not happy with him, and he only treats you as what he sees you as- a weapon." Muramasa spoke slowly, another sure sign that he was not getting a healthy amount of sleep.
Senbonzakura cocked his head to one side, like a sparrow. "What you say is true, a partnership cannot survive without each side managing to make the other happy. But that does not mean that I am not pleased with Byakuya. He is a fine and strong man, and I am proud to be his zanpakuto."
"Of course, there is no doubt that he is powerful. I have seen him win half the battle with only the use of Kido, and that is surely formidable. But… I've never come across a time when he has had complete victory without you, Senbonzakura."
"Every Shinigami uses their zanpakuto in a fight; it's only natural. It tells their opponent who they are, and sometimes the very sight of a Shikai can scare the enemy away, thus avoiding the battle altogether."
"Only extreme cowards would flee at the mere sight of a released zanpakuto," Muramasa scoffed. "And in Soul Society, there are very few cowards at that level. However, I fear we are straying from my main point."
"And what, pray, is your main point? All you have told me is that most wielders were neglect their zanpakuto."
Muramasa nodded, as if satisfied. "Exactly. The Shinigami have ruled over us for too long. They ignore us when we speak, and only use us as fighting material. And it has become my goal to stop them. Us zanpakuto have feelings and emotions just like them; we laugh and we cry, we're happy or we're sad, but do they acknowledge such things? I should think not. They have forgotten what we truly are, and only think of us as plain swords. They forget that sometimes, we don't want to obey them. They are oblivious to the fact that if they continue mistreating us, we just might oppose to them. And that is what I want to do. I am gathering all the zanpakuto, and together we make an army. And as an army, we can attack and conquer the Shinigami. No longer will they see us as their possessions, for we will be the masters. We will rise above them, and we will rule Sereitei."
A sharp stab of shock pierced at Senbonzakura as he heard the man's words. To speak of such foolishness… but he forced his voice to stay calm and low as he said, "That was truly an admirable speech. I doubt even the Captain Commander could have come up with one like that. Your offer certainly sounds very interesting, but I'm afraid I will have to decline."
Muramasa sighed. "Yes, that is actually what nearly every other zanpakuto I have previously spoken to have said. They refuse, at first. But eventually, after a little provocation… they join."
"Such provocations are not violent, I hope?" Senbonzakura said. "For you see, though I consider myself an excellent fighter, I would hate to battle here in my world. I fear for the safety of my cherry blossoms."
"There is no need to worry- I do not see violence as a very good way to convince others to join. What I have done to the others… well, I simply remind them of the wrongs their Shinigami have done to them. That is all. And once they themselves have realized it, they join. It's really quite simple."
"Perhaps," Senbonzakura agreed. This man was certainly cleverer then he came across as. "But I can assure you that Byakuya has done nothing wrong or harmful to me."
"Ah yes, many other zanpakuto have told me that as well." Muramasa replied.
Senbonzakura couldn't help but feel a slight prickle of unease. This man was talking of ruling over the Shinigami, who had walked across Soul Society for as long as anyone could remember, and he seemed as casual as though he were simply here for an afternoon chat. But he simply said, "Very well then. Tell me what you have to say, Muramasa. Convince me."
Muramasa looked pleased that Senbonzakura was willing to listen to him, and nodded before speaking. "There is no doubt that Byakuya is one of the more powerful Shinigami. But he is arrogant and proud. He believes he can defeat anyone who comes across him, and though he may seem calm he is truly… as they say… high-and-mighty. He thought he could beat the Substitute Shinigami, but in the end… did he?"
"Ichigo Kurosaki was stronger than we anticipated. We were caught off-guard." Senbonzakura protested.
"But you shouldn't have been." Muramasa replied. "A Shinigami at his level should never have underestimated his opponent."
"Would you have expected a Shinigami fraud to have such determination, and to have learned Bankai in the course of three days?" Senbonzakura demanded. "I shall not it here and listen to you insult my wielder."
Muramasa narrowed his eyes, but shrugged and said, "My apologies. Now then, as I was saying, aren't you a little disturbed that Byakuya is so… cocky?"
"He is not cocky, or arrogant, or proud. He has a steady loyalty to Sereitei, and an even stronger one to his sister. Did you fail to see when he took Shinso's attack towards Rukia for himself? He protected her with his body."
"How dramatic." Muramasa replied coolly. "I can see you have a strong sense of loyalty. Loyalty is an excellent quality, unless it is complied incorrectly. Blind loyalty is not something I approve of, and that is exactly what almost every zanpakuto give to their wielders. Blindly following their master's every order… it's disgraceful. Don't be like them, Senbonzakura. You admitted that you respect Byakuya, but I have not yet heard from you that you consider him a friend."
Behind his frowning mask, Senbonzakura narrowed his eyes. This man reminded him of the sly foxes that prowl among fairy tales, cleverly tricking the hero or heroine. Muramasa was using every bit of said or unsaid evidence that the zanpakuto should turn against their respective wielders. Although the man impressed him, he felt a slight unease around him.
"Just tell me that Byakuya Kuchiki is your friend, and I will leave." Muramasa said.
The answer should have slipped out of his mouth easily, so when it didn't, Senbonzakura cursed himself. He wanted this man out, and it disturbed him when he found that he had actually felt himself taking a slight liking to him. He liked the man's quick and constantly-thinking mind, and his calm voice that rarely changed tone. But he didn't like the ambitious attitude Muramasa had, and that was why he wanted him out. However, Senbonzakura frowned upon dishonesty, and it was hardly ideal that he began now. He couldn't simply blurt out that he considered Byakuya his best friend in the entire world.
Do what you believe is right.
"I will not lie. I do not see my wielder as a friend. A partner, at most, but never a friend." Senbonzakura stood up, having already made his decision. "Byakuya Kuchiki can never be my friend."
Muramasa smiled grimly. "So I can assume this means…?"
Senbonzakura nodded in confirmation. "Now then, how do we get out of here?"
The man approached him, placing each foot in front of the other slowly, until he came within an arm's reach of Senbonzakura. He outstretched his hand, and lightly tapped the zanpakuto's mask. Almost immediately, a dizzying feeling came across him. Through the slits in his mask that his eyes saw out of, there was only a white light. The ground rushed beneath his feet, so quickly he thought it was a wonder that he didn't lose his balance and fall over. Until, finally, it slowed to a stop, and the light faded to a dark brown color.
"We're here," Muramasa declared, his voice little more than a whisper.
Senbonzakura shook his head wildly to clear it of the fuzziness he felt. When he was finished, he glanced around to examine his surroundings. He was in a dark cave, so there was little to see, except for a staircase nearby.
Muramasa gestured to the stairs with a wave of his hand. "Please, go down. But do be quiet, it's late, and the others are probably asleep. I wouldn't like you to awaken them."
"And what about you?" Senbonzakura asked.
"Well, I was planning on invading the Shinigami by the end of this week, so now I must go visit and convince another zanpakuto to join. This time I was planning on meeting the king of the ice, Hyorinmaru."
"Hyorinmaru…?" Senbonzakura repeated. Of course, everyone had heard of the legendary dragon. His wielder, Toshiro Hitsugaya, was not only the youngest captain in the history of Soul Society, but also one of the kindest, if not collected.
"Yes, him. And because Hitsugaya has been so extraordinarily kind to him," Muramasa spat out the word 'kind' as though it were an insult, "He might be a bit… reluctant." He then shook his head, and continued calmly, "Now then, please go down and rest. You can meet the other zanpakuto in the morning."
Senbonzakura nodded in agreement, and Muramasa lifted a hand in farewell, and then disappeared with a loud crack. The samurai decided to disregard the fact that the man could vanish just like that, and then made his way down the stairs.
When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he glanced around at the large room. Scattered all around were the figures of sleeping zanpakuto. Among the high cliffs that brushed the top of the ceiling were two zanpakuto, a demon-shaped one and a man beside two heavy-looking objects. Curled up on a rock was a cat-human hybrid, and at the bottom of the rock slept a dimly glowing fairy. Slumped up against the wall was a tall woman with a large headdress, and, a fair distance away, was another lady, who seemed to be giving off a faint white shimmer. Next to her was a young girl, lying on the ground, fast asleep. It was obvious from her position that she had been leaning on someone, but that someone had left.
Senbonzakura studied them all for a few moments, and then turned to sit against the wall beside the staircase. He sat cross-legged, back flat against the rock wall and arms on his knees. He felt rather tired, but he had an odd feeling that told him to stay awake.
As he watched on, he saw two young boys run up to the tall lady with the headdress, their silver hair giving off a radiant glow, and their green eyes gleaming in the darkness. Speaking quietly, they prodded and poked the lady, whispering at her to wake up.
"Ne, Katen-chan. Wake up."
"Please? We're really bored, and we want to play."
They continued such words and pokes until the lady finally stirred. She moaned quietly, and blinked multiple times. Senbonzakura realized that she had only one eye, and the other was covered with an eye patch.
She glanced around, looking momentarily confused, but when she caught sight of the twins she looked furious.
"What do you two want?" She hissed angrily. "I am trying to sleep, something that you might want to try sometime."
"But Katen-chan…" One of the boy began.
"We can't sleep." The other finished.
The lady looked over to the young girl, and Senbonzakura realized that it was the twins the girl had been leaning upon. "So you left Tobiume on the ground like that, huh?"
"Well, we didn't want to wake her." The first boy said.
"She looked like she was having a real good sleep." The second added.
The lady's eye narrowed. "Oh yeah? So you decided to wake me up instead?"
"We wanted to play with you."
"We know you're really nice, Katen-chan. But why don't you talk with the others?"
"Yeah, the others are really nice, too. Like… Haineko's really funny, and Sode no Shirayuki always gives us a lot of smiles. And… and… Wabisuke listens really well, he says we're really good storytellers. And…"
"And Kazeshini tells us all these awesome war stories! Suzumebachi plays with us a lot, and Tobiume… Tobiume's so sweet."
"And cute. But that does not mean I'm in love with her." The first boy added hastily with a quick glance at his brother, who shrugged with a teasing grin.
The lady grumbled, obviously not particularly interested in the twins' opinions on all the other zanpakuto. "Whatever. I want to sleep, thanks, so kindly go back to your sweet and cute Tobiume and wake her up to play with you."
The boys hesitated, and then huddled together in not-so-quiet whispered discussion.
"Sogy-chan, what should we do? She really wants to sleep."
"Well then, Koto-chan, there's only one thing we can do."
They turned back to the lady, and said, "Can we sleep next to you?"
The lady looked more than disgusted. "Absolutely not!"
"Well, since you don't want to sleep, then I bet you want to play with us." The boys said in unison.
Their target of bothering scowled angrily at them, but grumbled reluctantly, "Fine. But at least half a foot away."
The twins didn't seem too bothered by her annoyed tone, judging from their cry of "Yay!" and then immediately snuggled against her. The lady opened her mouth to object, but the boys seemed to have instantly fallen asleep. Apparently deciding to ignore it, she shrugged it off and closed her eyes, thus falling asleep herself.
Behind his mask, Senbonzakura had an amused look. He certainly hadn't missed the soft smile the lady had given the twins before settling it for the night. He himself closed his eyes, prepared for sleep.
The next morning, he would meet all the other zanpakuto, and he would have to be well-rested for that.