Dummy

Kensei & Mashiro

There was a time, not so long ago as we reckon time, that Mashiro was not the loud, overbearing, completely annoying freak show that she is now. Yeah, that's kinda hard to believe isn't it? Well, sit back, and let me tell you a tale. The story of how I met Mashiro, and lived to tell about it. It all started as I was in my last year of the academy, and Mashiro was a new foundling.

"Muguruma-kun, thank you for coming in."

I snapped to my full height, and looked the dean in the eye, "Of course, sir."

The dean smiled, it was a lovely one, her rosy lips curving to show a perfect row of pearly teeth. The dark green eyes framed in all that lush black hair did not hurt anything except my attention span. I found my eyes wandering when she spoke again, "We have a new student, and she's got such a high reiatsu that I wanted to get her started as soon as possible, especially since the term just started." Her red painted nail pressed a button. In moments, her assistant bustled a young woman into the office. She gestured at the girl now standing just behind me to the right, "This is Kuna Mashiro. Mashiro-san, this is Muguruma Kensei, and he will be your mentor for a week to get you caught up to the other new students." She flashed another smile at the girl who nodded without saying a word. "I will allow you two to work out a schedule. Thank you very much, you're dismissed."

We both left the office; Mashiro was behind me like an obedient puppy. I paused in the waiting room, and got a look at my new project. Mashiro was pretty enough, her brown doe eyes, softly curling lime colored hair, and smoking body, even under a shihakusho - made me smile at her. "Welcome to the Spirit Academy, Kuna-san. Like Dean Kuchiki said, I am Muguruma Kensei, and I will be showing you around and tutoring you, if you need it to help you be caught up with your class. I'm a sixth year." I smirked, smiles I don't seem to be so good at.

"Hai," she glanced up just for the split second it took to speak, and her gaze went right back to the floor.

My smirk changed to a scowl, "If you don't mid, what district are you from?" Some women were so mistreated in the outer districts the only way to make it out relatively unhurt was to be as unnoticeable as possible. I was willing to lay money on her being from one of those.

"Uh," she started, her voice a whisper, "I'm from the north alley of wandering spirits." This time her head didn't even move.

"Oh, what's that, like sixty-something?" She nodded. Riiiight. "Well, Kuna-san you're in the Seireitei now, and everyone here would really appreciate it if you would speak up just a little?"

"All right," her eyes flicked back up then down. Well, there was only so much I could do for her.

I just shook my head, "Come on, let's go get your schedule, and then we can get to work."

We did just that. Like all first years, she had beginning kido and swordsmanship classes. Her scores in academic studies had been low, but I wasn't surprised, since she was from such a low district. We had our work cut out for us. Double the amount in some ways, if she refused to raise her eyes to me. I needed to prod her out of her shell.

Looking at her schedule and the time, I saw she should have been in her kendo class. A real smile curved my mouth as I turned to her, "Let's go to your first class."

She followed me, as I knew she would, and we walked in on the class already in full swing. I showed the instructor her schedule, and explained I would be mentoring her for a little while, and we set to work. There is no way you can keep your eyes down when practicing with a sword, even the wooden one she now held awkwardly in her hand.

"Let's see if you know anything about defense at all. Come at me." I held my practice sword out in front, steady in my two hands. She copied the form, and then glanced up before mincing forward a little and swinging hers in a totally ineffectual way. She didn't even make contact with my completely stationary blade.

"Oh, wow." I couldn't stop the snort of laughter; that was simply amazing. "Look," I said trying vainly to stuff the laughter down, "You're going to have to look at me." Her head came up, and there was a twist of either anger or unhappiness on her mouth. Either way, it was better than blank face. "Great," I grinned at her, "You're holding the hilt good, but you should tighten up your wrists…" I gave her some basic instructions for a few minutes, and had her practicing sheathing the sword for the rest of the class. She was quick minded, and I had a feeling that if she ever got over the stifling shyness, she'd be formidable.

And so went all her classes. I sat with the painfully quiet girl, helping her along when she needed it. Doing my own work load when she didn't. By the end of the day, I was sorely tired of pulling her around campus like a child's toy. Wearily, I walked her to the quad where her room was. The girl looked warily at the room, like it had been booby trapped in her absence.

A simple peek inside confirmed that she was a poor girl; possibly, all she had in the world was piled on the end of a bed. She gave me a weak smile and almost managed to close the door in my face. "Kuna-san, I'll be round to get you at ten to nine tomorrow for breakfast."

"Thank you." With an almost unnoticeable sigh, she closed the door.

"Yeah, you're welcome," I muttered under my breath as I turned to walk away. That's when I heard it. A sweet girly voice came through the door. I immediately damped my reiatsu signature, and listened to her speak.

"Ohhh! Kuna-san!" A high squeaky voice I assumed was supposed to be me assaulted my brain, "I'll show you how to do the hard math problems tomorrow!" Her voice switched to a slightly more normal tone, "Why thankee Ken-chan. I'm such a dummy."

I put my hand on the door. Had I been treating her like a dummy, as she put it? I was just trying to go easy on her. She didn't say anything, not one word to let me know that she already knew how to do the work the other students were doing. I was tempted, sorely, to bust in and demand an explanation. But that could wait. Until tomorrow, first thing in the morning when I would tell her what I heard.

When I woke the next morning, I was full of the resolve to tell the girl that she'd better shape up, and act right. I hurried to her dorm, and opened the door with a perfunctory knock. That was my first mistake. The second was to stare like a star-struck kid. Mashiro was not ready for breakfast yet. That's the nicest way to say it.

"You perv! I hope you enjoyed the show!" She delivered her words in a screech that barely preceded a kick to the stomach. I was on the ground, gasping for breath, and trying to regain my feet when she pounced on me like a wild cat, and started punching. Her naked breasts danced above me, and I was literally scared to death. Either she was going to kill me, or my nosebleed would prove fatal.

This was no time to let myself be emasculated. So, with a push and a very manly roar, I flipped her onto her back, and straddled her hips. "Listen here! I told you to be ready at ten to nine! And don't you dare whisper when you speak to me, I know better! And don't you dare use squeaky voice when making fun of me, do you hear me? You're so damned annoying!"

She laughed. Great belly roars that filled her room with joyous sound. I looked down at our ridiculous positions and joined in. How could I not? "Okay, Ken-tan," she said in a strangely sing-song voice, "ya great big dummy."

So that's it. After that, she proved that she not only knew a great deal more than she'd let on, but had to be moved to several advanced classes. We remained friends for the rest of the time I was in the academy, and even for all the years it took for me to rise to captain. She was always annoying, that seemed to be the price of burying that shy girl. Even so, I nominated her for my vice-captain, and she agreed. There have been many times I would have gladly killed her - or killed for her. For better or worse, she'll always be my friend, and the daughter I never had.

AN/ A great big shout out to Hasty for being my beta on this project. She had pointed out that the names as spelt in my story may have different spellings. Be that as it may, I use the Bleach Wiki for name spellings. So, I apologize if you didn't like how I spell them. On to the meat: I laughed several times while writing this. I think that these two are far more related to a father/daughter type relation ship than lovers. So, thanks go to my kiraban winner, eel girl for asking for this story. I had a freaking fun time writing it.