Ngoc Chau does not own Bleach
Nemu regarded Mayuri proudly as he was about to demonstrate another improved invention of her creator. It was as though he was embodying the very words of his father: science was limitless, always moving forward and ameliorated by one's imagining. She could not help to contain her smile at him and then reprimanded herself by looking away and trying to compose herself. But it was in those moments, watching Mayuri, that she felt her life was full and nothing more could be asked. Her eyes moistened for a second before she dried them with the edge of the haori sleeve. She was bombarded with thoughts of how much closer he was like his father. A fear before had always bothered her that she was not raising him well enough, that she was failing the last wishes of her creator; yet it was at times when she saw him work and create that she was relieved to think that she had at least done well enough for him.
Mayuri had spent the last few months making careful additions to his father's classic Hojiku-Zai. Nemu had always thought that the serum was perfect as it was, that no other improvement could be added to it. But she had been proven wrong by Mayuri once again.
Upon stepping forward to the shaking volunteer up on the platform, he was quick in slicing off the volunteer's arm with his sealed zanpakuto. There was the shower of blood everywhere that wound up on almost everybody, yet all scientists maintained their composure in the spectacle. Mayuri injected the syringe of modified Hojiku-Zai, a darker murky green in the glass, into the wound and the effects were instantaneous.
"The most significant improvement to the serum is that the subject will not suffer through any pain of regenerating the lost limb." Mayuri began. There was a shared breath of relief throughout the crowd before him. As the limb grew back to its original state, there was the odd effect of a long streak of red upon the regenerated limb.
Mayuri continued his explanation, "Another change is the increased strength and durability of both the replaced limb and subject." He came at the volunteer again with his zanpakuto and Nemu was sure that he had sliced the arm off again. But his zanpakuto was stuck in the hold of the flesh. "As you can see, my zanpakuto cannot slice through as swiftly as it did before. And you can note down that the subject does not display the same pattern of pain as he earlier did. The serum works in dulling the nerves to a certain extent that the subject will still feel pain but not be bothered by it at all no matter the extremity."
He pulled out the blade with a sickening sliishh. Blood, thicker than it had been before, dripped drop by drop upon the floor. Before everyone's eyes, the wound healed itself miraculously. He pointed to the red streak upon the arm, "And there is no need for an additional dosage of the serum. As long as it remains in the system, it works continuously. Once this mark has disappeared, then so has the entirety of the drug." The shinigami began flexing his arm, marvelling at the sight before him. Of course, Mayuri would let no one else - even her or the subject - see the new creation until demonstration time.
Without anything being said, a struggling Hollow was brought it, large and wrapped in chains. Mayuri turned his attentions to the shinigami and ordered, "I want you to destroy that Hollow with your bare hands. No kido, no spells, no anything. I order you to kill it with only your hands."
There was a look that Nemu and most likely everybody who was watching the blue-haired lieutenant saw in him; it was an apathy that essentially screamed 'If you don't succeed, then that's the end of you.' Those who were restraining the Hollow released it. Nemu fingered the hilt of her zanpakuto in case something should go wrong. Despite the unfailing faith she had in Mayuri, she was of a prudent and cautious nature. The Hollow lunged for the crowd, yet the shinigami was faster - he was equally surprised at his speed - and grabbed hold of the Hollow's head. Its jaws turned on the fist of the shinigami but could not bite through. In a moment, the Hollow's head was crushed in the grip of the shinigami, its body disappearing into black wisps then nothingness.
"Further evidence: the Hollow could not sever the hold of the hand upon its face and the reflexes of the subject noticeably increased to react to the movements of the Hollow." Mayuri gestured to the panting shinigami.
There was a hand raised in the audience to which Mayuri acknowledged and inquired if there was any questions about the serum. "Yes, what if a Hollow were to swallow someone who had taken the drug? Would it have any effect upon the Hollow?"
Nemu saw Mayuri's expression falter momentarily, only to be replaced by his usual grin. "Ahhh… that's very good thinking. Well, the Hollow would then undergo the same effect as anyone who had injected themselves with the serum." There was a worried murmur through the crowd, but it ceased as Mayuri raised his hand to indicate that he had more to say, "But there is an alternative to such a situation."
Once he placed away the syringe in his sleeves, he pulled out a small vial, blue in colour and teardrop-like in shape, from the inside of his jacket. "This should be carried with the Hojiku-Zai. Its function is to flush it out of the subject's system instantaneously. Here."
In a blink of an eye and a snap of his fingers, six scientists had already made their way onto the platform and were holding down the arms of the shinigami. His eyes were frantic and he was begging that they let him go already. With a roll of his eyes, Mayuri filled an empty syringe with the 'antidote' and injected it into the red-marked arm of the shinigami. Once the dosage had been administered, a great space was offered to the shinigami who proceeded to wail and scream as though on fire, then convulsing heavily into the ground.
"Unfortunately." Mayuri began as he looked on the poor scene, "a side effect of this antidote is a searing pain that affects the entire body of the subject." The shinigami turned on his stomach and began vomiting. Quite quickly, the red mark on his arm faded away. There was genuine applause from the crowd and Mayuri gave orders for someone to escort the shinigami to the Fourth division to obtain medical attention and care.
As he stepped off the platform and the crowd parted to make way for him and then to return to their own duties, he made his way to Nemu. The first thought that came to Nemu was that he had grown taller. When just earlier a few months ago, she was able to easily rest her chin on top of his head, his height had increased that she could easily look into his eyes.
She complimented him of the ingenuity of the serum, repeating her previous thoughts that it had not even occurred to her that the serum could be any more improved than the way it was. Although he acted with great indifference towards her words, Nemu could still sense the burning feelings of accomplishment inside of him.
What followed afterwards was the habitual routine of work in the labs: a great deal of paperwork and supervising, of checking upon the monitors for anything odd that should be looked into. More shinigami came in and out of the SDRI, wanting new modifications upon the zanpakuto or having to deliver items to the waiting scientists and officers. Some came with the objective of minor surgery and picking up additions that had been compromised or damaged in battle. Others left with tests that made them blanch and with hopes that the second opinion they would get from the Fourth Division would be better.
There came a time with Nemu all by herself in her own office, jotting down the reports of the occurring day: making sure to make a progressive note about Mayuri. Her pen momentarily stopped as she thought about her son. The weight of his accomplishments were slighted in the face of his being. As much as she admired the differences in her son, she far preferred to see the developing similarities of her creator in him. There were times when they seemed like two completely different individuals despite the current Mayuri being a clone, but she would be eased when she caught glimpses of the familiar scowl, the habitual pacing, the certain bend in his hand as he worked. She thought of Mayuri as a son for that was what he was to her; yet in his semblance to the previous Mayuri, old feelings were being conjured up.
She was frightened to act upon them, perhaps her son would grow distant from her instead of closer as his father had. She had her suspicions of what he felt for her, yet she was shy to think that it was that and instead chalked it up to a deeper filial affection. But this type of love and relation seemed to run in their family and he was becoming so like his father that perhaps…
Without warning, there was the sound of an explosion. This would not have bothered Nemu if not for the commotion outside her door, an officer of the Tenth division begging her to look at it. She got up from her seat and reported outside.
Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of what was in the sky. Her hands jumped to her mouth and she had to will herself not to laugh out in joy. Konjiki Ashisoji Jizo. It was a spectacle that she had spent years waiting for, hoping that one day she would see the released form of her son's zanpakuto. The red-caped child-faced caterpillar, flying high with a silver halo about its golden head. Not even thinking, she shunpo'd to the scene where she saw a group of Fifth Division shinigami collapsed on the ground. The air was thick and heavy with the remarkable purple miasma she knew so well from long ago. Mayuri stood victoriously over the bodies, a maniac's grin upon his face. There were no words exchanged, but she could just read the gloat in his expression, that he had achieved Bankai. However, there was the matter of those poisoned by Konjiki Ashisoji Jizo and unless they wanted the repercussions to come out of their funding and budget, they would have to be quick to administer an antidote to those affected.
Still, as the two of them - the only ones unaffected by the poison - collected the unconscious shinigami and brought them to a safe area free from the gas where officers then dragged them to the Fourth Division, Nemu could not cease telling her son just how proud she was of him.
"That was something I would not have foreseen for a while!" exclaimed Unohana cheerfully as she poured the tea for the two waiting first and second seats of the Twelfth Division.
Though very late at night, she had insisted after taking care of those poisoned by Mayuri's Bankai to seeing the two of them for the 'sake of amity and tea' and had convinced them to sit in her Division for a cup. Nemu, though a captain, often found it difficult to say no to whoever asked her of something and Mayuri followed after her faithfully.
Unohana sat next to Mayuri, the lieutenant now having two braided captains on both of his sides, but it was quite easy to see to whom he felt more comfortable with. Quite noticeably, he shifted closer to Nemu and narrowed his eyes at Unohana. She continued her smiling though there was a heaviness in the air that could be felt.
Nemu placed her hand upon her son's knee, silently reminding him that this was an august elder captain that protocol demanded that she be paid the greatest attention and respect. She felt his response to be disagreeable when he looked away and his painted white hand gripped the hem of her white haori.
A habit that had stuck with him throughout all his life, she remembered, was that whenever Mayuri was not at ease, he would grab at whatever was close at hand which was usually her captain haori and roll it between his fingers as though nervous.
Nemu spoke first, thanking Unohana for her immediate response to Mayuri's Bankai. She was also glad that Unohana had kept stock reserves of antidote upon her person for such an occasion.
Unohana laughed, saying that she thought she would never have had the chance to use the antidote. Then her eyes softened, but she was glad that she could've used it lest it go to waste.
However, Nemu caught sight of the ulterior message.
Nemu was not sure if her son was even aware that Unohana had set her cap to him as she had done to his father before, and it was from there that the affinity manifested itself. Nemu recalled numerous times when Mayuri's nature, overtaken by fatigue, became more affectionate and together they would lie in each others' arms. A hearty subject he often conjured up in fits of laughter was Unohana's obvious affections for him. He was a genius and he was not so dense to human nature and emotions to overlook such a thing from her. Nemu would always remain quiet when he talked of the braided captain that way, she did not feel comfortable adding anything that would further compromise his opinion of said captain. However, while the previous Mayuri had made his knowledge of her feelings for him quite discreet and did not so much show a contempt of her for it, masking it as friendly(?) competitiveness; her son was not so subtle and in Unohana's presence, he often made loud sighs and gave many excuses to leave the room. He once told her that he always felt that Unohana's attentions to him was crossing private boundaries to him and that sought to avoid her as much as possible, only willing to see her if she required it of him.
It would suffice it to say that Nemu felt a little bit sorry for her.
But Nemu could empathize with her to why she had fallen in love with her creator, he was a most extraordinary man.
The two ladies talked of old days and the mutual man they both loved, though Nemu was sure that the two of them had more to say, what was voiced was very brief and quite vague. Throughout, Unohana would tug at the lab coat sleeve of Mayuri and ask him if he wanted more tea or if he would like something to eat. He would only tersely look at her before directing his attentions back to Nemu, "No thank you, Unohana-taicho."
And Nemu would see the instantaneous look of helplessness on her face. A woman's intuition is very powerful. The smile would return and she would go on speaking with Nemu.
After a while and once the tea pot was empty, Unohana remarked, "Your son, he is so very shy, isn't he? Not at all like your father was, he was always wanting to be the center of attention. They are actually very different from each other if you pay close attention."
At this Nemu became defensive. Her tone was still quiet as it always been, but she herself heard the upset in her voice, "He is very tired right now and he isn't feeling well. I think the two of us should be making our way home right now."
Truthfully, she could tell that Mayuri was getting tired, the tears welling up in his eyes whenever he yawned and a mellow sort of affection emanating from him. But she wanted Unohana to hear her speak.
The two of them left and returned home.
At home, the two of them talked over what was to be done for their work tomorrow. Mayuri was brushing Nemu's hair, she smiled inwardly that despite the generational differences, Mayuri's fondness for her hair had been passed down to his son.
They were both in their hiyokus; she sat facing the mirror of her vanity while he sat in the opposite direction. He still kept his cones on his ears and the paint remained still on his body, he would wash it off later.
In the midst of talking about what new experiments would be undertaken and ideas for new poisons for his zanpakuto, Unohana came up once more. Again, Mayuri's discussion of her was nothing but unflattering. In comparison, the previous Mayuri had a lot more to complain about Unohana; this Mayuri was still so young, that he did not have much to say about her save his behaviour towards him.
Nemu chose to refrain from blurting that his father had went through the same as he was with Unohana.
"She must be daft to think that I would be interested in her." Mayuri commented upon Unohana. Though the views differed and so did the choice of words, it all went along the same lines that he was simply not interested in her. Though he was sure that she had loads to offer, they were just too different of people to ever have it work and her charms did not appeal to his tastes. He did not want to appear as the boy lover to some old woman.
She tried to rid herself of the ache in her chest at his comments. While the previous Mayuri had said many a great deal about Unohana; Nemu had always felt that besides her willing capitulation to him, her youth had also played an important part in their liaison. Men were always so eager for younger partners so that they could better control them and show off their knowledge and experience.
Now she was an old woman too with a grown son. The thought greatly disenheartened her.
Mayuri ceased brushing her hair and leaned in his face into her tresses. She felt the breath of him inhale and exhale, the same nose poking into her and those same lips she knew in another life upon the skin of her shoulder. His arms wrapped around hers.
She was quite overcome by the familiarity of the situation.
Albeit she was sure that she hid her inner turmoil well, Mayuri said something that calmed her immensely, "But I would not mind those kind of attentions if it came from you, Taicho."
I was going to make Mayuri make a gun, but then I thought: they have swords, what do they need a gun for? So I decided to improve upon the flesh-healing medicine. It was hard! So, still at this point, Mayuri and Nemu's relationship is still very parental. Mayuri does have more than inappropriate feelings for Nemu and Nemu feels it too. But she's worried that if she does anything, it might fuck the whole relationship up. It's sort of how Mayuri felt before(if you've read Kurotsuchi Medley) when he first 'did stuff' with Nemu. Plus, I thought it was nice to put in the part with Unohana so that a comparison could be made with Nemu to show that no matter what Mayuri would always choose Nemu over Unohana. That's the shipper in me.
Also the chapter title can go different ways. It can mean Mayuri achieving Bankai or him confessing his feelings to her, I guess.
Oh, what's going to happen in the next chapter?
So... what did you think?