As I said last Chapter - Kenpachi's finally making progress! I'm quite happy with this Chapter, more specifically, closer to the end of the Chapter, and for those of you Kenpachi fans who have waited for -something- to happen to the big man, well, it's time.
It was Keiko's turn to be frustrated. She and Shuuhei had spent nearly the entire day trying to find something relevant to the Hollow occurrences, but there was nothing. Even after hearing the whole story from Ichigo and Kuchiki-san, and after checking out the few places that Hollows appeared more than once, there was still nothing she could find. Not only was she a Captain of the Gotei 13, but she had been a high ranking officer of the Onmitsukido. She should be able to find -something-! But because she couldn't, she was beginning to feel useless because of the lack of progress.
Everything combined, she hadn't spent any time with Kenpachi, trying to further his training, and, honestly, it was currently the last thing in her mind. Instead, she wound up sitting on the floor over bunches of papers, on which she had written notes, as well as various maps of the Karakura area. For hours, she poured over them, internally hitting herself, trying to find something, some little clue, some tiny connection. She had become so focused on the papers that she didn't even notice the night had passed, and she had not slept a wink.
Shuuhei, having fallen asleep on the couch behind her, woke shortly after sunrise. Dark eyes falling on Keiko's back, he quietly sighed and shook his head. Stubborn to the point of hurting herself. It was not an overstatement. "Kei, you haven't slept at all, have you?" he spoke up, folding an arm under his head.
"There's got to be a connection!" was her only response. Apparently, that was a 'no.'
Once the effects of sleep left his body, the lieutenant slowly sat up and stretched. If she kept this up, she'd do more harm than good. That in mind, he stood up from the couch and stared down at her, his arms crossing over his chest. "Get up."
"Huh?" She craned her head back to look up at him.
"I said, get up."
"I can't! There's something in these papers that I'm not seeing!" she exclaimed, turning back to the mess on the floor before her. "If I leave now, there's no telling how far I'll put the investigation back!"
It was like they were back in the Academy, training for their Shinigami exams. There had been a few times Keiko would fail a test or project or the like and right after, she'd pour herself into the subject until she knew it back and forth so that she'd never fail it again. Shuuhei had -not- enjoyed those times. She would become obsessive, stoic, eventually just downright pissy to the point she'd rip off someone's head if they interrupted her. "You'll thank me for this later," he muttered before leaning down and scooping the smaller woman into his arms. Ignoring her cries and yells of protest, he carried her into the adjoining bathroom where he promptly dropped her into the shower and turned the water on, letting the freezing cold water of the unused pipes pour over her. Arms folding over his chest again, he merely looked down at her, a bland expression on his face as he watched her sputter and slip about, trying to get up and yell at him at the same time.
"HISAGI!" she yelled, struggling to get up. "Let me OUT of here!"
Rather than reply, he just continued to watch her, just continued to let the water freeze away her idiocy. Eventually, she calmed down, and stayed on the floor of the shower, glaring up at him and panting from a combination of the cold and the quick exertions she had put on her body trying to get up and out. "Do I have to remind you of what you were like after exams?" he asked quietly.
It was like a slap to the face because the glare was instantly gone and her facial features softened. "No," she muttered, her eyes trailing down to look at the floor.
"I thought not." Reaching out, he turned the water off before squatting down so he was closer to her height. "You've been obsessing over those papers for hours. Trust me, you're not missing anything. Now, I suggest you get up, get changed and get something to eat, because your going to be exhausted from not sleeping. Agreed?" She nodded, but refused to meet his gaze. His own expression softening, he stood back up and offered her his hand, which she eventually took to help get her out of the shower.
"I'll be downstairs. Hopefully I can get into the kitchen to make breakfast before Inoue does."
Once Shuuhei was out of the bathroom, Keiko wrung her hair out and left the bathroom to change into dry clothes, peeling her wet shirt off in the process.
"Oh? I get ta' see some assets before 69, huh?" Kenpachi's voice floated in from the window.
Just as she was about to drop the shirt to the floor, Keiko screamed and dashed back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. "What are you doing?! PERVERT!" she yelled through the door.
"Hey, I'm not tha one getting changed in front of an open window for all the world ta' see," he snorted, lips curled back into a grin.
"Whatever," she growled, rummaging through the bathroom for a towel. Once she found it, she curled it tightly around her, making sure her chest was completely covered, and exited the bathroom again. "I swear, you did that on purpose!" she accused him, quickly making her way across the room to get dry clothing.
"Right. Because I just knew you were about to take yer shirt off and flash everyone." Shaking his head, he sat in the window, watching her move about.
"I don't know how, but I know you did! You're a guy! Guys always think about shit like that!" she kept accusing him as she dashed, once again, back into the bathroom to change.
"Yeah, we all have psychic attunements that let us know when chicks are gonna flaunt their racks in front of us. Speaking of which, do you always get changed with the windows wide open? If so, I think I'll stop by yer Squad more often."
"PIG!" she yelled as she came out of the bathroom, throwing a ball of her wet clothing directly at him.
"That's more like it," he grinned, swatting her clothes away and slipping down from the window. "Your aura was starting to really piss me off. What's with all the bitching, moaning and feeling bad for yourself about?" he asked, glancing down at the piles of paper on the floor, pushing a few around with his foot. "Don't need you going all pussy on me before I have my rematch. I'd much rather fight a warrior rather than an angsty teenager."
Keiko would have thrown something else at him, but he had already left the room. Fuming quietly because she swore it was "Pick On Keiko Day", she grabbed her hair ties and pulled her hair back up before following Kenpachi into the kitchen where, thankfully, Shuuhei was at the stove cooking. Breakfast was quickly made and eaten, and Inoue-san left for class once again leaving the three Shinigami in her home.
"I'm going to head out and do some shopping for Inoue since we've eaten through more than half her food," Shuuhei spoke, getting up from the table. "You," he pointed at Keiko, "are going to stay here and do whatever it is you need to do with Kenpachi for his training or whatever. If I find out you've been pouring over those papers again, I won't think twice about dumping ice down your back." With a smirk, Shuuhei left.
"Swear," Keiko murmured, staring after him, "he sounds more like a Captain than the two of us combined."
"You -told- him?!"
Quickly turning around, Keiko stared at the now angry Kenpachi. "Not exactly... He tricked me! Besides, it's not like he cares or will say anything about it to anyone!" Snorting, Kenpachi got up from the table and left the room, leaving Keiko to yell after him. "HEY! Where are you going?" With a growl, she got up from the table and followed him up the stairs. "Would you stop being so pissy! Like I said, he tricked me! And what do -you- care if he found out about your training? You're the great Zaraki Kenpachi!" she continued to yell, her arms waving around for emphasis. Kenpachi stopped so abruptly that Keiko literally smacked into his back and stumbled back a few steps.
"I'm not pissy," he grinned, turning around to look at her. "It's just -so- easy to get you wound up lately, how could I pass up tha opportunity?"
Muttering quietly, she rubbed her nose and sat down where she was, pointing to the floor beside her. "I'm just annoyed lately."
"Really? I could swear you've been PMSing 24/7."
"It's just this whole mission! None of it makes sense! On top of it, I haven't been able to find out -any-thing, and like everyone says, I probably won't find anything until the Hollows actually show up! I just feel like I'm missing something.."
"So just wait until some of the big baddies show up and do your information search shit then."
"But.. but.."
"But nothing. I'm sick and tired of your emo, pissy-ass moods lately. Are you not tha one who fought me, who didn't have tha smallest trace of -fear- when you did? Are you not a Captain? Are you not, at yer own expense, trying ta teach me how ta use a bankai? Fucking get with it, woman. The world does not revolve around you. Big fucking deal, you didn't find anything. Who says anyone else would have? Just suck it up and act your-fucking-self."
Truthfully, Keiko couldn't think of a come back for that because, well, it was the truth. She -had- been an emo little bitch lately, as Shuuhei had tried to show her by tossing her under the cold water. Although, for some reason, Kenpachi bitching her out as he just did seemed to have a heavier effect. "You're right," she inhaled deeply, then let it out in a short, heavy sigh. "You're right, you're right.."
"Good. Now can we get tha fuck on with my training? I've been bored outta my fucking skull since we got here."
"Yes, yes, we can."
"Oh, and stop holding back. Don't think I can't tell you've been afraid ta get that dinky little connection going. I mean, shit, pussy out of it if you want, yer the one hurting, not me. Although I -would- like to keep my training going, if ya don't mind."
She cracked a smile and nodded. He was right - she needed to get serious. Who knew Kenpachi could be so insightful sometimes? Maybe he -did- make a pretty good Captain.
"Alright," she started, flexing her arms and cracking her knuckles, "let's get this going." Once her muscles and body were calm, she reached out and pressed her hand into his chest (one of the things she had changed after things had backfired). Eyes closing, she quietly chanted a few words and focused on making a connection. There, the initial shock - a flood of images that would disturb even the most battle hungry of men. And, as an electric shock passed between her hand and his chest, the connection was made.
With a shudder, she opened her eyes to find their surroundings had changed. "Huh, guess he gives good pep talks," she offhandedly commented as she looked around. Standing up, she briefly stretched before tapping her foot against Kenpachi's leg. "Oi, get up."
"Not gonna' have some creepy-ass blood demon in my face if I do, will I?" he muttered, his eye remained closed.
"No, smart ass. I got it right this time."
The big man did as she said and stood up, eye opening to glance around. Nothing was red. "Uhh, if this is my inner soul and I'm here, why were you not there when I was in yours?"
"Must you continue to dwell on the past? I fucked up last time, give it a rest already," she muttered, the subject still quite store.
"And why are we wearing our Shinigami uniforms? Coulda' sworn I wasn't wearing this a moment ago," he glanced down at his hakama.
"That was your gigai. Here, we appear as what we really are."
Raising an eyebrow, he motioned to his hair as well as hers - both were down, rather than tied up in their respective styles.
Keiko just shrugged. "Dunno'. But who cares. We're here, so let's get started. Uhh... hmm." She turned around in a circle a few times trying to find some landmark, but, the place was fairly barren. "Ya'know. Considering the shit I see every time I enter your mind, I'm surprised this place is so... quiet." It was pretty empty, too. The ground was dry, patches of dead grass scattered all over. Despite no visible sun, it was light out, the sky a light blue and cloudless. No wind, no smell, nothing.
"Hey, at least I've got grass. Yer shit was just all red. Speaking of, you keep saying yer doing all this shit to enter my mind, yet this is my soul, so...?"
Chuckling softly, Keiko turned to face him. "I'm surprised you're asking so many questions. The great Zaraki, hungering for information." Although she was trying to be humorous, she was quite impressed; never had she thought Kenpachi was so insightful, that he would have so many questions, that he wanted to -learn-. He was much more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for. "Truthfully, the mind and soul are connected almost to the point they're one and the same. There are plenty of philosophical debates about them, but I just use the words interchangeably."
Apparently, the explanation was sufficient, because he just nodded and looked around. "Well, what now?"
Impatient. Surprise, surprise. Not bothering to reply, Keiko crouched down and pressed a hand into the ground. She couldn't feel anything - it was dead. "This is your world, you tell me," she stood back up, brushing her hands together to get rid of the dirt. Kenpachi stared at her. "Hey, I'm just your spirit guide."
"Whatever," he snorted, turning away from her to look around. "There," he nodded to a direction and started walking, Keiko following. They were walking towards a tree that had -not- been there a moment ago. It, like everything else, was dead. Walking right up to it, Kenachi pressed a palm against it and waited. Not wanting to interfere, Keiko stayed back a few feet, arms slipping into opposite sleeves of her haori.
"Why do you continue to try to contact me?" a voice, certainly masculine, resonated from the tree.
The sheer force, the sheer -power- emanating from the voice made Keiko's eyes water, and she gasped, falling to her knees. This power deserved respect. Kenpachi, however, kept his palm against the tree.
"For years, you ignored me, intruded on -my- power, convinced yourself that you did not need me, that I was not a part of you, and yet, here you stand -begging- me to admit you. Why?"
Keiko realized that she should not be there, that she should leave. But, if she did, the link would sever and Kenpachi might never get a second chance. Not knowing what else to do, she bowed her head low so that it nearly touched the ground.
"I have ignored your pleas, refused to communicate with you -because- of you. Why should I even speak with you after all these years that -you- have ignored -me-? The only reason I speak to you now is because I take pity on this soul, a soul both male and female, a soul so pure and yet so tainted."
Keiko knew this power was speaking of her.
"This soul pushes itself to the brink of extinction to help -you-, the ignorant one. You are -NOT- worthy of my power, not yet. Although, for your perseverance and courage, I will give you a gift, a sampling of what could have been yours decades ago."
For a few moments, there was silence, and Keiko wondered if she should look up.
"Little soul, so full of strife. I admire your strength and selflessness for helping the ignorant one, but know this: if you enter my sanctuary again, although I wish not to, I will take your light so that your cycle will end. This place is not for you."
With a gasp, Keiko looked up, tears now trickling down her cheeks. Her eyes came to focus on the tree, or rather, a shadow within the tree. Unable to speak, unable to find words, she nodded.
"Now leave this place. When you are worthy, you may return."
All the blood rushed to Keiko's head, and the next thing she knew, she was on her back staring up at Inoue-san's ceiling. Groaning softly, she sat up and the first thing her eyes fell on was Kenpachi. He was sitting on the floor with his zanpakuto in his hands. Eyes wide, Keiko gasped at what she saw: the blade of his zanpakuto looked as though it had been reforged. All the jagged edges were gone and the blade, which almost seemed to glow, looked brand new. Reaching up, Keiko pulled a strand of hair from her head and dropped it on the blade. The hair was sliced with ease.
What, thought he'd get his bankai so soon? Pfft.
Kenpachi's Inner World
I had thought about making it night time, with moon and stars, the whole shebang, but, the idea seemed too much like Hueco Mundo. Hrm. Also, the reason why I chose to write in Keiko's PoV was because I feel the reader might be able to get a better sense of the power and effects Kenpachi's zanpakuto has on others. What Keiko felt is, of course, not the same as what Kenpachi felt, but being the outsider, it's stronger.
light / cycle
Sticking with the concept of reincarnation here, the light refers to the soul, the cycle to the cycle of rebirth. Kenpachi's zanpakuto will basically extinguish her soul so that it is just -gone-.
Actual BLEACH-verse and characters (c) to all the respective people.
Akuuno Keiko (c) me.