Chapter 18: Minazuki
She took a long look at the man in front of her. He had no business to be intruding in her world. He had simply barged in without so much as a warning, and appeared quite suddenly in front of her. She was normally not the type of zanpakuto to be surprised, but she had always assumed that her world would be a safe haven from the others. She had been journeying up the rocky mountain when he came out of no where directly before her, blocking her path, and began rattling off about some sort of nonsense. She hadn't the faintest idea what he was talking about; it wasn't as though she were actually listening. All she wanted was to get up the mountain and collect the delicious berries and drink the fresh water that was on top of it.
The man continued to talk, and she continued to think of how she could possibly get by him without using her powers. She usually wasn't a violent zanpakuto, but if it was absolutely necessary she would hurt anyone in her way. And currently, this strange man was in her way. She kept her head bowed down so that he wouldn't see her face hidden in the shadows of her light green cloak, but she could still see him. This man was tall, dirty, and downright annoying. His face was streaked with soot, and his hair matted with dust. His eyes were droopy, a sure sign that he was tired, and his voice had a drawling tone to it. The man was exhausted, and that would make it that much easier to get by him.
He kept on rambling on, something about zanpakuto and Shinigami, and Minazuki finally lost her patience. She moved her head up slightly, knowing full well that she was about to interrupt the man and he was probably the sort who had never been interrupted. She looked at the man, keeping her face hidden in the shadows, but her single golden eye gleamed.
Stand aside.
The man looked stunned, and his whole body stiffened. Trembling slightly, he inched to the side, making the path clear again. She bowed her head down and continued on her way. That had been easy enough- men had no willpower.
Quite suddenly, the man's voice sounded again, this time sharper and clearer. "Wait. Have you considered my offer?"
He had been making an offer? Well, how was she supposed to know if she wasn't listening? She ignored him and continued walking. She was almost at the top, anyways. Perhaps once she'd taken her fill of fruit and water she would listen.
A pop sounded behind her, and all of a sudden the man appeared before her again. She stopped, a sense of anger and irritation bubbling up inside her, along with interest. Did this man have psychic powers like her? She waited for him to speak again, and sure enough, he did.
Minazuki was patient. Or, at the least, she was a good actor. She could build many layers around herself, pretending to be patient and calm, and most of the time she really was. But currently, she was as impatient as ever. In any other time she might have been willing to sit down and listen carefully, but right now she was hungry and thirsty. But she still pretended to be patient and listened to his words- after all, it was clear that he had come with the expectation that she would provide his speaking as the most important above anything else.
He said that his name was Muramasa, and admitted that he was somewhat annoyed about how he would have to repeat everything he had just said to her. Minazuki could have told him that the feeling was mutual, but decided against it. Perhaps if she just didn't say anything and let him speak, he would eventually finish and leave.
Muramasa spoke about neglect towards the zanpakuto from the Shinigami, and of how most zanpakuto were sick of it. He spoke of a fighting team he was building, an army. He told her that nearly all the zanpakuto had already joined him, and that she was the last. She was, after all, one of the strongest zanpakuto around, even if she was mainly used for healing. He offered her a position in his army, a high rank, an elite fighter. She, along with the dual zanpakuto Katen Kyokotsu and Sogyo no Kotowari, would be assigned only the most important of missions. And if they had any free time, they could go ahead and wreak havoc among Soul Society, so long as he permitted it.
It was interesting to hear, and would certainly make an excellent story, but Minazuki, in all honesty, couldn't care less. She had nothing against her wielder, and technically couldn't even speak, so she wouldn't be able to communicate very well with the other zanpakuto. Yes, she could speak telepathically, but only unbelievably strong zanpakuto would be able to hear her voice in their minds, so most of the other zanpakuto wouldn't even be able to understand her. And so, with quick thinking and hope that it would get him away, she responded.
What of the strongest zanpakuto of all? Ryujin Jakka?
Muramasa looked somewhat surprised, his expression causing Minazuki to smile a little. "Ryujin Jakka," he said carefully. "Is no doubt a powerful zanpakuto. And it is because of that that I will wait until the Shinigami are in the utmost terror before I speak to him."
Minazuki studied him, easily piercing through his lie. Why not just go to flame zanpakuto now and tell him to wait? Muramasa was scared of Ryujin Jakka, and that was why he didn't want to go to him. She sighed quietly. Of course, every zanpakuto was scared of the mighty weapon of the Captain-Commander. At one glance, Ryujin Jakka could kill one hundred men, burning them to ashes and even flaming those until they dissolved into nothing. Every smart zanpakuto would stay well out of his way, but all the same they respected him. Muramasa, though acting as though nothing in the world could surpass him, knew that. As far as Minazuki could see, he was probably never going to go to the flame zanpakuto for help.
"I can see you are skeptical," Muramasa had reclaimed his calm demeanor, and was now talking in that almighty voice of his again. "But I promise you, I will eventually speak to Ryujin Jakka. So long as I'm not busy, of course."
Minazuki could have laughed, but she didn't. For one thing, she really physically couldn't. For another, she hadn't laughed in a long time, and was not willing to do it in front of a stranger who talked too much for his own good.
"One zanpakuto alone certainly couldn't face the Ruler of Flames," Muramasa insisted, clearly trying to prove that he wasn't simply bluffing. "But perhaps three of the strongest might."
Here, Minazuki paused. So that was why he wanted to recruit her. He just wanted to use her, along with the dual zanpakuto, to convince the strongest zanpakuto of all. Because this Muramasa was just too big of a coward.
Muramasa must have noticed her instant suspicion, because he quickly said, "You're changing the subject. Now, if you wouldn't mind, kindly answer my question. Would you, or would you not, like to join the other zanpakuto and I on our quest to take revenge?"
A quest? He made it sound like a long and dangerous journey, when in reality all they had to do would show up and the Shinigami would probably be scared out of their wits. Yes, although Minazuki did have respect for her wielder, she believed that most Shinigami were as big of cowards as Muramasa. Without their zanpakuto, the Shinigami were nothing. Kido and hand-to-hand combat were nothing compared to the powers within their very souls, and that was why Minazuki could easily predict the outcome of this.
Retsu Unohana was generally a kind woman, and very caring, although it was known throughout the entire Soul Society that deep inside her was an inner demon. Rumor had it that she could even shake Yamamoto, at least a little. Her very words carried out much authority, causing even Eleventh squad members to tremble at the sound and slink back into their beds. A gleam in her eye could make anyone do anything, and that was where Minazuki had learned her single-eye hypnosis trick. She was, after all, the mirror image of Unohana's soul. It was because of those things that Minazuki respected the Fourth squad captain, but at the same time it allowed the zanpakuto to see the cowardly forms of the other Shinigami, frightened out of their wits by a single woman's order. That was how Minazuki knew that the Shinigami stood no chance.
So why should she participate? She already knew that Muramasa's army was going to win. She had no part in this, and for the time being, all she wanted were the berries on top of the mountain. And that was what she told him.
Muramasa raised an eyebrow with a somewhat confused expression. "You want… berries?"
They are at the top of the mountain.
"But… I am offering you the chance of a lifetime. You may never get another opportunity to escape and take revenge. Pardon me for sounding so flustered, but after receiving such an offer, such a proposition, all you're worried about is berries?"
He had been speaking quickly, his voice filled with pure disbelief. It could be assumed that he had already been to many zanpakuto previously, and that was perhaps why he was being so impatient. Being the caring zanpakuto she was, she probably should have felt at least a twinge of sympathy, but she was hungry, and while she was hungry she didn't give a damn about what he was talking about.
Muramasa's voice had sounded shocked, but right now his face looked nothing less than extremely agitated. Minazuki simply stood there, waiting to see what he would say next. Finally, Muramasa let out a growl- something that sounded very unlike him- and disappeared with a pop. Only a few moments later, he reappeared again with a handful of bright red berries.
"Here," He said, obviously trying to keep his voice under control. "Your berries."
While Muramasa felt annoyance, Minazuki found herself filled with amusement. This man was willing to do anything just to get her to listen to him and join his army. Well, she did have her berries now, so she might as well think the offer over.
"Now will you come?" Muramasa demanded as the healing zanpakuto quietly munched on her snack.
It's possible.
Muramasa let out a roar of aggravation. "I don't have time for this! I have been to seventeen zanpakuto before you, and nearly all of them refused in the first place. I have had to wrap lies around truths, I have had to bribe, I had to do everything to convince them. And with you, I had to repeat my offer twice, and then you start wasting my time with Ryujin Jakka. Then you tell me to go off and get berries as if I'm some sort of servant, and now-."
I never told you to get them.
"And now… you're only telling me that it's possible you'll join?" Muramasa glared fiercely at her. "I am losing my patience, Minazuki. Do you know how tiring it is to have to push through every Shinigami's barrier and into their inner world? Normally, it would have to give a zanpakuto hours of rest. But I did it eighteen times all in a row. I haven't had any rest, I haven't had any food or drink, and I have come to realize that all you zanpakuto are so terribly spoiled."
Spoiled? Minazuki suspected that he was beginning to lose his mind. Did Wabisuke, living in a prison, look spoiled? Did Katen Kyokotsu, forced to stay at a lonely casino, look spoiled? Did Gegetsuburi, trapped on little more than a rock, look spoiled? None of the zanpakuto were spoiled at all. Minazuki hadn't the faintest idea on what this man was talking about.
Muramasa was breathing heavily, a hand pressed to his face. After a few moments, he withdrew his hand and said, in a calm voice, "I'm sorry. Please excuse me for my outburst. None of the zanpakuto are spoiled, of course. I had no right to say that. But I will not deny the fact that I am exhausted on having travelled to eighteen different places, and I was overjoyed when I remembered that you were last on my list."
He didn't look the type who could be overjoyed, Minazuki figured. Perhaps he celebrated on the inside.
"But please, Minazuki. You are a strong and worthy zanpakuto, and a psychic one above that. I am almost positive all the zanpakuto would treat you with the appropriate respect. Would you please join my army?"
Now it sounded like he was begging. He must really be desperate. However, that didn't stop Minazuki from thinking over it. It was true that Muramasa had given her next to no reason to turn against her wielder, but then again, it did sound like it might be fun. She had nothing better to do, after all. All she did everyday was go up the mountain for berries and water, and then go down again. Of course, there would probably be consequences, but at least she would get to meet other zanpakuto.
Fine.
Muramasa looked at her in surprise, as if he hadn't expected her to agree so quickly. "What? You… you agree?"
In the darkness provided by her cloak, Minazuki rolled her eye. How oblivious could this guy get?
He straightened, a light tone suddenly in his voice. "Excellent. Now then, allow me to take you to where all the others are. They've all been waiting for quite a while, and they'll be quite excited to see us. Our arrival will mean the beginning of what they've all joined for- the defeat of the Shinigami."
Minazuki just shrugged. He had more or less repeated everything he had just said, and she wasn't very much impressed by it. Muramasa sighed quietly and then extended his arm, clearly expecting her to shake his hand. So Minazuki raised a bandaged hand and gently touched it.
As soon as their hands made contact, the mountain they'd been standing on began to rumble, and then it fell apart beneath their very feet. Minazuki was surprised, but she didn't lose her footing. Psychic powers can let you levitate. The gray and brown around her melted into an unbelievably bright light, and she felt herself moving forward at an incredible speed. She was still aware of Muramasa beside her, of course, but he didn't give any indication that this was normal or anything.
Finally, they arrived in a dark cave, and Minazuki realized that she was still hovering. She landed noiselessly, and began towards the staircase that was leading down. Judging by the footsteps behind her, Muramasa was following her. All the other zanpakuto were probably down there. Minazuki quietly made her way down the stairs, and turned to see all the zanpakuto in deep conversation with each other. Their low murmuring buzzed around the cave, until Muramasa stood beside Minazuki and said in a loud voice.
"Hello, everyone. I'm pleased to see that you are all getting along with each other so well."
At the sound of his voice, all the zanpakuto turned around with wide eyes. For a few moments, their gaze would rest on Muramasa, and then switch to Minazuki, and then back to Muramasa. It seemed to take a while for it to really sink in. Finally, a small girl wearing white and pink clothes with two large bells stepped forward.
"Muramasa," She said quietly. "You have brought the last zanpakuto?"
"Yes. This is Minazuki, and the last addition to our army." Muramasa confirmed.
A look of shock came across the girl's face, and then a woman that seemed part cat stepped up. "Wait, so this means the army's complete? We can actually go and attack the Shinigami now? After all that waiting?"
"All that waiting was about two days, Haineko." Muramasa sounded amused.
Haineko, looking somewhat embarrassed, ducked her head. "Felt longer, though."
"Yes, I suppose it did feel rather long." Muramasa raised his voice once more. "I will give you all a day to discuss what you will do, and how you will do it, but the day after tomorrow we are all going to attack together. We will gather the Shinigami in one place where they cannot escape, and then confront them. After that, you are free to do whatever you wish. Is that understood?"
A loud cackle sounded from the crowd, coming for a black demon. "Understood, Muramasa! We can do whatever we want, whenever we want, and to whoever we want. And it'll all be destruction for the Shinigami!"
"Exactly." Muramasa agreed. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I am feeling rather tired. I am going to go rest, so kindly keep the noise level down."
A samurai with a disturbing mask on his face nodded firmly. "Of course, Muramasa."
"Right then. And remember to welcome Minazuki, will you?" And with that note, Muramasa retreated back up the stairs, and not another sound was heard from him.
As soon as he'd disappeared back into the darkness, Minazuki stepped down from the stairs and calmly began walking towards a particularly dry wall that she'd been eyeing for a few moments. It looked like a good place to take a nap, and she did feel a bit sleepy.
"Hey, hey, where're you going?" Two boys ran in front of her, arms waving frantically. They looked exactly identical, possibly one of the two dual zanpakuto. "You didn't say hi to everyone yet. Let us start! We're Sogyo no Kotowari, but you can call us Sogy-chan and Koto-chan."
"He's Sogy-chan," The one on the left pointed to his brother.
"And he's Koto-chan," The other one did likewise.
Minazuki watched them for a few moments, and then greeted them. Hi.
The two looked stunned, clearly meaning that they had heard her. And then, quite suddenly, grins broke out onto their faces and they began laughing delightfully. "Wow, that was so cool! Do it again, do it again! How do you do it? Can you teach us?"
It's just how I am. I can't speak properly with my mouth, so I use telepathy. I can do it because I'm a psychic zanpakuto, but I don't think I can teach you guys.
For a moment, they looked slightly disappointed, but then the grins came back on and they rushed over to a tall lady dressed in purple and wearing an eyepatch. "Katen-chan! Did you hear her? Did you? It was so cool! It just comes into your mind, but you don't hear it with your ears. She said it was telepathy, isn't that awesome?"
"It's the same with how Ashisogi Jizo can't talk at all. It shouldn't really be anything out of the ordinary." The woman, probably Katen Kyokotsu, replied. She then turned to Minazuki. "No offence intended, though. I'm Katen Kyokotsu, nice to meet you."
To you as well.
She'd finally met the dual zanpakuto. Muramasa had told her that they'd be her partners later on, hadn't he? She might as well get to know them better. But she still had to meet the other zanpakuto, too. Minazuki sighed inwardly. Looks like her nap would have to wait.
Hi. I'm Minazuki, zanpakuto of the Fourth squad captain, Retsu Unohana.