Chapter 16 Graduation

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Months later the Shinigami congratulated the senior class on their completion of their courses. This meant that Tashi and her friends were soon to be Shinigami. The Gotei 13 sponsored a party each year for the senior class. The party was in full swing, but Unohana noticed the confetti buckets had not been filled. "Tashi" she said "could you go out to the supply closet and get the bags? I'll fill the buckets in the hallway, hopefully it won't be so obvious.

Though the students had finished all their written exams and their practicals, the last and most important portion of their graduation had yet to take place. It was the last ceremony and it was a mystery to anyone who was not involved. It was a secret ritual and sealed the fate of someone who wanted to be a Shinigami. This party was to celebrate the student's arrival at this threshold and followed the presentation of their zanpaktuo swords. They had graduated from the Academy, but they had not been officially made Shinigami by the ceremony nor seated by Captains.

"Sure!" said Tashi, eager to help.

"Abarai-san, can you help her?"

"Eh?" said Renji, distracted by the snack table. He turned around with a mouth full of Chunky Tasty Snack Mix. "Ah, yeah" he munched "Sure." He dusted the crumbs off his hands and rubbed them coarsely on his gi. Tashi and the Vice Captain headed down the hallway "Enjoying yourself, Vice Captain?"

"Yeah, it's okay. It's kind of hard to have fun with the Captains here." Renji stretched his arms up and then folded them behind his head. "They can be a little stuffy."

Tashi laughed and said "That's understandable, that's how they became captains after all."

Renji chuckled and opened the door to the closet. Tashi turned on the light and stepped in. It was a large closet, more of a storage room. There were cob webs and dust. Renji spotted the large bags on a high shelf and said "I'll climb up and toss 'em down."

"I don't know if that's safe, these shelves aren't nailed to the wall or anything." Tashi lightly shook one with a single hand. Renji agreed when he saw the shelves shake so easily.

Tashi said "Lift me up and I'll grab them."

"Eh?" Renji didn't realize, but he was a little uncomfortable touching the young woman. Tashi didn't have the same reservation, however.

Renji knelt down and put his arms around her legs. He lifted her up and she threw down one of the bags. When she reached further back she heard a squeak and something furry touched her hand. She looked up and saw a big rat twitching it's whiskers at her. She flailed back, screaming. Renji accidentally dropped her and stumbled himself.

"Oh! Are you okay?" he asked.

Tashi looked up and yelled "RAT! RAT! RAT!" She stood up and screeched. She then saw a rat on the floor skitter across and then under one of the shelves. "RAT! RAT! RAT! RAT! RAAAAT!" She then jumped up onto Renji

"OYE! What the hell are you doing?!"

She wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her face into his neck. She was sobbing.

Renji didn't see what the big deal was. He saw she was really upset and tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey" he soothed "It's okay."

The rat made another appearance and she somehow managed to climb up onto his back screaming all the while. "RAT! RAT! RAT! RAT!"

"I KNOW- ack" he said as her sandaled foot somehow made it to his face.

"RAT!"

"OKAAAAY! I GOT THE POINT!" Renji made it over to the door and opened it with the hysterical girl on his shoulders.

"RAT! RAT! RAT!"

On the other side was his Captain. Tashi's face was streaked with tears. Renji put Tashi own on the ground and she quickly stood up straight in the presence of Captain Kuchiki.

Renji looked at her with confusion and said "Gah! Women!" He then deftly leapt upwards, grabbed the bag of confetti, but nearly knocked over the shelf unit. Captain Unohana came down the hallway and saw Tashi in distress. She walked the girl away to calm her down and the sixed division leaders looked on, concerned, but giving the girl some space to breath.

Yukimaru came running own the hall and saw Tashi in distress. Byakuya grabbed his collar before he could get to Tashi. Byakuya looked at the youth and simply said "Explain this."

Yuki looked at Tashi whose legs had given out from under her. She kept her head between her knees and Captain Unohana was comforting her and instructing her to breath deeply.

Renji said "Kid, rats are bad news, but shit, this is ridiculous.

Byakuya said to Renji "What did you do to upset her?"

Renji was surprised his captain would accuse him of anything until Yuki said "No, he probably didn't do anything. Tashi's had a fear of rats…" He looked at the two men and started over. "She was taken hostage by a rival during a campaign her father was spearheading. Her…uh…virtue was not compromised, however she has had some irrational fears ever since. The worst being of rats."

Unohana succeeded in calming down Tashi and she rejoined the group. "I'm sorry" she bowed. "I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus."

Everyone was a little concerned and cidnt say anything. Except Renji who said "Nah, nothing to worry about."

He went into the closet and fried the two rats with kidou. "There, it's nothing, like I said."

Byakuya was shocked and his eyes did not hide it.

Renji looked at his Senior and said "What?" a little defensively.

Byakuya blinked back to his normal inscrutable self and said "Knowing your kidou skills I'm suprised that the entire room didn't go up in smoke. "

The comment elicited a giggle from everyone there, including Tashi.

Byakuya started back to the party and everyone else followed. Before they entered the party room again Byakuya turned to the group and said "After what happened here, your discretion is most appreciated." He meant for the group to keep quiet about Tashi's little breakdown, but he saw Tashi's look of shame. He then added "We don't want to ruin the surprise of the confetti shower."

He then turned sharply turned, his silky hair whipping in its Kenseikan restraints. Tashi was relieved a bit and the rest of them entered the party separately.

Tashi stayed behind with Unohana to set up the confetti showers. Unohana was having a hard time opening one of the bags. "Hm" said Unohana. "I can't seem to rip the plastic. I can't get the right angle."

The clink of a sword caught the women's attention and the bag was instantly cut open. Tashi felt the cold grip of fear wrap around her body. "Ca-ca-captain Zaraki?"

"Ya. You needed a cut, no?" he said matter-of-factly. He rested the sword on the back of his shoulder casually and said to Captain Unohana "I noticed you were missing from the party. I was glad to see some cutting needed to be done! Ha ha he."

Unohana smiled at the vicious captain as if he were just another man and said "Thank you Captain, but I don't think swinging your zanpaktouo is really the best example for our newest Shinigami."

Zaraki looked at Tashi as if he didn't notice she was there and said "Oye. You. I know you. You're uh…Nutcracker, Touchi, eh?"

Tashi went bright red and said "Eeeh. My name is Tashi Touichi. Nice to see you again, Captain."

"Oh? Whatever you say Nutcracker" said the grizzly captain. Unohana couldn't help but giggle at Zaraki's behavior. Zaraki wasn't sure what the female captain found so funny, but said "Eh, that's not why I'm here. Captain Unohana, is there anything else I can help ya with?"

Unohana said "Mmm. Not right now, but thank you."

The two women filled the buckets with the colored paper and Kenpachi lingered on a nearby wall. They filled four buckets which they had to then carry up some stairs. They were a bit cumbersome and they were having trouble carrying one at a time. Tashi lifted one, Unohana lifted another, and they marched down the hall.

They placed the buckets down and went back to the remaining buckets, but Zaraki was holding the two of them, one in one under each arm. The ladies were both surprised, and thanked him for his help. He only grunted in response. After the confetti buckets were secured in place the three headed back to the party.

Zaraki held the door for the two of them then went to get some punch for Unohana. Tashi said to the peaceful Captain "I hope I'm not out of line, saying this, but I think…Captain…"

"I know." She looked at Tashi, smiling knowingly and said "He's got a thing for me."

Before the surprise registered new music poured in from overhead and Tashi felt someone dragging her away. She looked up and saw Renji puling her towards Eri who was holding a long bamboo stick. Rukia handed one end to Eri and the other to Tashi. She explained "It's a game I learned in the living world" she yelled over the music. "It's called limbo."

Eri and Tashi held the stick and Rukia explained the rules to the other party goers. Byakuya flashed stepped to the wall in order not to get roped into the game. Once the game got started everyone against the wall moved in closer to get a look. Soon Byakuya was the only one against the wall.

Renji was one o the first to try Rukia's game and Hisagi Shuhei too bent under the limbos tick. Tashi saw Captain Hitsugaya standing along in the crowd with his arms crossed with a stern expression. His vice captain dragged him into the limbo line and he reluctantly played. When he realized his small stature was an asset in this situation he began to really enjoy it. .

Once the stick became lower people were eliminated one by one. Matsumoto's enormous breasts were what did hr in. Her body was well below the stick, but she couldn't suck in her boobs. Thy knocked stick out of Tashi and Eri's hands. Kyouraku Shunsui did well also, but he couldn't convince his vice captain Ise Nanao to play and lost interest. He and his pink kimono wandered off yelling "Nanao-chan! Nanao-chaaaaaan? Where are you, Nanao-chan?" When he finally found her she refused stating he was too drunk to know what he was asking her.

Rukia was very good, but Yachiru had an unfair advantage being even half Hitsugaya's height. She ahd a much easier time going undr thee stick thananyone else.

She convinced Ikkaku to lay, but Yamachikia refused saying that the posture which one has to take in order to win was not beautiful and he wouldn't be caught dead doing it.

Surprisingly Byakuya was also amongst the finalists. However he sped under the poel faster than anyone could see so therewwas no way to prove he actually went under the stick, nevertheless in the right posture. Soi Fong and Hitsugaya wernt head to head, along with a few third seat officers. Most of the studnest just watched.

Eri and Tashi had a front row eat with heir job as holding the pole. In the end Hitsugaya took the prize. Ukitake bestowed a large basket of candies on him and they took a picture. After the game was over Tashi gave the ple back to Rukia she spied Unohana talking with a student.

Behind them Zaraki Kenpachi stood watching carefully. Ikkaku nudged his captain and jerked his head in Unohana's direction. Zaraki gave Ikkaku a one eyed look of death, but then walked over towards Unohana. Just before he reached her he looked back over his shoulder at his subordinates. They gave him some encouragement and waved him on. Zaraki then cleared his throat. The student excused himself and Unohana turned around.

Zaraki had an awkward smile pasted on his face and stuck up a conversation.

Eri came over to Tashi and asked "What are you staring at?"

"OH! Am I staring?"

"It looks like you're dazing to me. Whatever, come over here there's someone important who wants to talk with you."

Eri walked Tashi over to a group of smiling faces. There was a captain among them whose back was to her. The long white hair of the captain brushed over the number 13 printed on the back of his white tunic and Tashi smiled.

She immediately felt warmth and welcome from his smile. "Ah!" said Captain Ukitake. "Tashi! You've become quite well known among your peers. Even some of the Captains here know your name."

Tashi's face turned bright red from embarrassment. She clasped her hands low in front of her and bowed. "I'm sorry, but I'm not really all that good."

When Tashi stood again she saw another extravagantly dressed man with a large straw hat. Then she spotted the white tunic of a captain hidden underneath his pink kimono. He leaned on Ukitake casually. The hat wearing captain said "If you are as skilled as you are lovely I think I might recruit you for my squad tonight!" The captain put his stubbly face in hers and said "The try outs are in my room."

Tashi was too shocked to reply. The shock read on her face and Ukitake said "Come now Kyouraku, don't' embarrass her." Then the sober white haired captain congenially pushed his friend away.

As Captain Kyoraku Shunsui stumbled away laughing he bumped into Byakuya who overheard theconverstaion and was not amused. "Oops. Skuuuzme" slurred Kyouraku.

Byakuya said "Is that how you address a lady of the royal houses?"

"Whao, whoa" said Kyoraku. "When did you start playing for the other team, Byakuya? I know you're kinda pretty for a man, but you're no lady."

"I meant Tashi-san."

Kyouraku looked at the other captain a little stumped. 3…2…1 "She's royal? Hmf. My apologies then."

"You will apologize to her if you ever to plan to be sober again."

"What if I don't?"

"You're a common inebriated fool, and this conversation is over."

Tashi was engaged in conversation with Juushiro again and missed captains Kuchiki and Shunsui's exchange, but Atsumi didn't. Atsumi who had also brought her own flask of sake, approached Byakuya and said "I see. I got yer numba" she winked. Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the drunken girl. "You can't sacre me!" she laughed "You're highness" she bowed and danced away.

Tashi continued to talk to the thirteenth division but Eri walked away to get some punch. After she poured some juice into her cup Renji approached her. "Oye!" she nearly dropped her drink from surprise, and the fact that he slapped her back when he approached.

"Vice Captain! It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, same here. You know Pigtails, you never answered my question."

"Huh?" She looked up at him and saw a very intimidating face. She saw why his enemies cold fear him. Then he smiled and his goofy side bled through. "You're graduated now, are you going to petition any squads?"

"I havn't thought…well that's not true. I think my skills would be put to best use in the fourth squad."

Renji was surprised and said "Ah, good for you."

Renji spotted Tashi talking to Ukitake and elbowed Eri. "So is she thinking about that squads?"

"I don't know. He told me he would like to see her since he hasn't gotten a chance to talk to her since the outing. I think he was impressed with her performance and I know 13 has some openings. "

"Mmm. A vacant Vice Captaincy spot, but she's not strong enough for that."

Eri grimaced at him but hi didn't notice. Then he crossed his arms and coked his head of wild red hair and said "Yet." The two of them looked at each other through the corners of their eyes and then away. Renji then said "Then again, maybe she could. It's not like the 6th division or anything. She definitely couldn't be an officer in our division."

Eri looked up at hi and laughed to herself. 'This coming from the guy she beat the second time she picked up a sword.'

The party continued on and the graduates mingled with the officers and enjoyed their new status. The time to petition was rapidly approaching and large decisions were to be made. Regardless of the looming Shinigami ceremony everyone in attendance had a wonderful time.