Chapter 15 Genteel Hollow Hunting

Tashi walked with her class behind Captain Ukitake as he lead them to the entrance of the Hollow Simulation Territory. A group of students including Yukimaru, Tashi, and Atsumi walked towards the entrance. It turned out that Captain Kuchiki did not join them and Renji was also tied up. However, to Atsumi's delight, Kira Izuru, Vice Captain of the second squad joined them.

Atsumi and Tashi waited around and Atsumi was rather excited. "We're going to get to smash some Hollow's! This is freakin' awesome!"

"Freakin'?" asked Tashi, surprised Atsumi didn't use a harsher worc.

Atsumi straightened her uniform and said "Yeah…no reason to go all out all the time."

Tashi giggled, looked over at Vice Captain Izuru and then back to Atsumi. "I see. I'll go along with it." Tashi smiled broadly and giggled some more.

"Shut up, Tashi" said Atsumi, irritated her crush on Kira Izuru was that apparent. While they waited for the entrance to be prepared Yuki decided to try to strike up more conversation with Tashi. "So, how are you finding class, Tashi?"

"Fine" she said distracted by the technique used to open the door. The captain had to release his zanpaktuo in order to do so. Ukitake's double blades were the most impressive Tashi had seen so far and she was entranced by their power.

"Yeah? That's good. I heard you and your friend did well on the Hollow Raids exam! You just keep getting better and better. Maybe you can help me next semester when I have to take the course."

"No, you're in a lower level, Yuki, do you even have to take that class?"

"I might" he said.

Tashi then felt malice in the air and it was directed directly at her. She slowly turned around and saw a group of girls glaring angrily at her. 'Oh jeez, jealous Yukimaru girls. Why do they all adore him so much? He's such a loser!' Atsumi was silent, but took note of the menace towards Tashi.

Ukitake and then Izuru gave stern and explicit instructions on their tasks and the group finally went through the entrance. The other side was dark and mysterious. It was a bit cool for Tashi's liking and a bit foggy. It was dark like nighttime, but there were artificial lights so the students could see somewhat. It was explained to them that when a demi-hollow was destroyed a tag would be left for their team to claim as proof they destroyed the demi-hollow.

The students were broken up into groups and Tashi was paired with Yukimaru and another student they were not familiar with. The third was a young man who was one year behind them. Before the teams went to their assigned areas Ukitake warned them once again to be careful as students had been known to be seriously injured and in some cases killed on these expeditions.

Tashi and her team began to move off to the area they were assigned when the group of girls who were glaring at her before passed them. As they passed they bumped their shoulders into Tashi and Yuki then said "Oh, excuse me. You should be careful, you know. Captain Ukitake did say people could die."

Tashi was shocked that her classmates would say something like that and she looked at Yuki to see if he had any clue. He simply looked annoyed and shook his head. He pushed Tashi along and the third student in their group. She looked up at Yuki and asked "Who was that, and why are they treating us like that?"

"They're nobody Tashi. Don't worry about it" he said trying to brush off their threats.

"She threatened our lives Yuki, I'm not going to ignore that" said Tashi seriously.

"Pfft. They're a group of nobodies. Your family could buy and sell them. Don't worry about it" he said.

Tashi was shocked he would say something so coarse and as she thought of a way to responded she drew her sword sensing one of the demi-hollows heading their way. "Yuki, that was awful. Don't say things like that, actually, don't think things like that!" The demi-hollow dropped down in front of them and Tashi said "It's attitudes like that" slashed threw it "which create such division among the classes!"

Yuki was annoyed and rolled his eyes. The third student said "Wow that was great! You took it out in one swipe!" Tashi nodded at him and said "I'm sorry…let's work together on the next one." She looked back at Yuki and said "It's probably why those girls were being so mean to us!"

"No, that's something else" said Yuki.

"Something else?" asked Tashi.

"Sato-san, right?" said the third guy.

"Sato-san? Who's that?" asked Tashi.

Yuki pointed at the underclassman and said "Shut-up kid or I'll pound you!"

"You're not going to pound anyone! Who is Sato-san?" asked Tashi. A demi-hollow began to charge them from across the compound. Tashi drew her sword and ran at the creature then stopped short in front of it, allowing the force of it's on speed to impaled itself on her sword. "Little help?" she cried over her shoulder as the demi-hollow convulsed on her sword. The underclassman flash-stepped over and jabbed his sword deep intot he creature.

IT still writhed trying to get to Yukimaru. Yuki walked over saying to Tashi "She's no one htat you need to be concerned about." He brought down the demi-hollow with the last swipe.

"Uh, I think I do if I'm getting threatened over her!" said Tashi.

"I used to date her."

The underclassman gasped and said "Wait…isn't she—"

Yuki pointed his sword at the guy and said "You shut up!"

The younger boy did as he was told. Then a young woman said "Yeah, she's the one you knocked up!"

Tashi turned around and saw the three girls who were glaring at her before. One of them said "So you didn't even know?"

"I have no idea what's going on!" said Tashi looking worried.

"Don't worry about it" said one of the girls with venom. "She went into labor yesterday."

Yuki rolled his eyes and said "Oh? Is this when I'm supposed to ask if that lying whore had a boy or a girl?"

A second girl from the trio stepped forward after hearing Yuki and yelled "IT WAS YOURS YUKI! DAMN YOU! YOU WERE HER FIRST YOU IDIOT!"

Tashi's head whirled with the implication. Yukimaru, her husband to be, had gotten a girl pregnant and not only denied it was his, but was cold to her condition. Tashi quietly asked "How is she?"

The girl who had screamed said "She's dead. Child birth was too much for her."

Tashi then spotted yet another demi-hollow falling from the sky. Everyone else began to engage in a screaming match. She leapt straight up and sliced it in half. As it dissolved into the air everyone stopped their arguing when they realized they were blinded by their anger, so much so they didn't see trouble coming. Tashi landed and said "This is not the appropriate place for such a discussion. Let us return to the meeting point. We have destroyed the quota and have the tags to show for it."

When Tashi returned she submitted her teams tags and returned home with Atsumi. She told her roommate everything that happened. "Atsumi, I don't know what to do. I got the feeling that this is not the only indiscretion that Yukimaru has" said Tashi.

Atsumi replied "That's the damn royal men for you. Wait, no that's not true. All men are freakin' idiots, not just Yukimaru." Tashi looked at Atsumi, surprised then Atsumi corrected herself "…except Vice Captain Izuru of course."