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Base/s: Bleach
Title: Our Captain
Summary: There are three ways to become a Captain of the thirteen Court Guard Squads. 1. Take the Captains test. 2. Be recommended for the position by a minimum of 200 shinigami. 3. Best the former Captain in a duel witnessed by a minimum of 200 shinigami. When ways 1 and 2 fail; a show of force is needed.
Music used for inspiration: I Stand Alone – Godsmack, Next Contestant, Because of You – Nickelback, On My Own, Riot, Gone Forever, Get Out Alive, Pain, Burn, Wake Up – Three Days Grace, Storm – Vanessa Mae, Cold - Crossfade
Our Captain is stronger than yours.
There are three ways to become a Captain of the thirteen Court Guard Squads.
1. Take the Captains test.
"Request denied." Toshiro Hitsugaya murmured as he perused the document in front of him. Anger stirred inside him. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. He took a deep breath to calm himself, the temperature was creeping below zero.
The official paper he held in his hand, if it could even be called that, was telling him that his request to take the Captains test was denied. Again.
The first time he had applied, they had given him the courtesy of an interview, apparently to determine his personality for themselves. The moment they had seen him it had gone downhill. The panel had spoken slowly to him, as though he was to dim to understand. They had mimed actions he knew full well the meaning of and made constant references to children's things. They hadn't called him back. He trained harder, made himself stronger and put more missions under his belt and tried again. They denied him even an audience this time. Thinking he hadn't enough experience, he trained and went in search of high level Hollows to put in his file. The third time, the letter wasn't even formal. Just a handwritten note scribbled on some paper and shoved through his door.
This time, he had thought only a few days ago, must be it. He had found and defeated a Menos level Hollow. Maybe he had spent a week in Squad four but it went in his file as he had hoped. But it was not to be.
Toshiro Hitsugaya,
In response to your recent application to take the Captains exam, we have to inform you that your request was denied.
In light of your repeated attempts to take the exam, we feel as though we must explain why your request was denied. Your file, though mildly impressive, fails to mention your age. We believe that a child cannot handle the responsibilities that a Captain would have to undertake.
Seireitei Examinations Board
That was it. Hitsugaya was positively fuming. So they didn't want him to become a Captain huh? He'd show them. He'd show them all.
So, neatly folding the letter and storing it with the others, Eighth Division third seat Toshiro Hitsugaya planned.
2. Be recommended for the position by a minimum of 200 shinigami.
"Oh no Shiro-chan, I don't think you'd be a Captain, you're too little!"
"Beat it brat, don't make me laugh."
"You? Remember your place shorty."
"Children shouldn't be allowed to play with sharp objects, let alone be Captains."
"No way. Ohh, is the widdle baby gonna cwy?"
"I don't know who you bribed to get his far but it ain't gonna work no more, got it?"
"You are a kid. Kids don't belong here."
"If you want to do it Toshiro, then you can and you will."
He listened to his grandmother as he sat in her little living room with a cup of tea in his hands.
She shook her wrinkled old head and gave him a twinkling smile.
"I know you Toshiro." She said. "You do what you want to do, no matter what anyone else says. Go for it. Be who you want to be, not who they try and make you."
He looked up at her gently encouraging eyes and gave her a slight smile. His grandmother loved those types of things, she was full of parables and stories and little sayings. He remembered most of them from when he was younger and they came to him every so often.
"Thank you."
"Go on, make me proud."
So he went back to his quarters and considered his third and final option.
3. Best the former Captain in a duel witnessed by a minimum of 200 shinigami.
He considered his options. He had to fight a Captain and best them. But who?
He barely knew any of the Captains beside Ukitake, who showered him with sweets every time he spotted him. He genuinely liked the older man so he wasn't an option.
At last he settled on Tenth Division Captain Lee Okanawa. He hated the man with a passion. Rarely did Hitsugaya allow himself such emotion, for fear of his power reacting but such a burning revulsion coursed through his veins that he was sure his skin would have actually felt warm to the touch. If anyone were to touch him that is. Okanawa had tried many a time, to thwart any kind of commendation or promotion Hitsugaya might have gotten and went out of his way to belittle and intimidate the younger shinigami.
So, for weeks, Hitsugaya watched his mark. Okanawa trained once a week, on a Thursday and Hitsugaya, whenever he wasn't otherwise engaged, studied his technique. He scrutinised everything about the man. How long it took before he showed signs of tiredness, how powerful his Kido was and his preferred moves. At last he was ready. He decided to approach his mark when, to his own discomfort, there were a lot of people around. This would ensure that as many people as possible would come to watch, if only to hope to see him get soundly beaten.
"Captain Okanawa." He addressed the man formally, complete with a small bow. No use being impolite after all, even if he did loathe him.
The larger man turned and sneered down at him.
"What do you want boy?" he said, as though he had no time for Hitsugaya.
Pushing down his temper, Hitsugaya kept his polite tone. He would bare this, if only for the end result.
"I would like to challenge you to a formal duel." He said firmly.
Silence. Then the room erupted into laughter.
Hitsugaya clenched his fists and focused on the pain of his nails digging in to his skin. Breathing deeply he rode it out.
Okanawa laughed the loudest.
"Oho boy! What kind of joke is this? Y-you're serious! Ahaha, no boy, I haven't got the time to waste on an upstart little brat like you." He said, managing to both sneer and laugh at the same time.
Shinigami were shouting insults at him through their laughter and he fought with himself not to falter.
"Well..." he said, with feigned nonchalance, "If you're afraid then I guess I have to honour your decision."
Okanawas face turned thunderous.
"Why you little shit!" he raised an arm to strike the white haired shinigami but found that it did not connect. Hitsugaya stood as though he hadn't moved.
Okanawa snarled.
"You know Captain Okanawa, violence is strictly prohibited unless in a formal duel. But since you feel as though you can't face me..." Hitsugaya trailed off. Easy as pie. Too easy for a genius.
Okanawas face was puce.
"Fine! I'll pound you into the ground you little brat!" he shouted. The commotion had gotten the attention of a large number of Shinigami who were all whispering to each other. Hitsugaya mentally patted himself on the back, perfect.
"Oh I am glad you accepted. I'll let you have the home advantage too, say, the Tenths training ground? Tomorrow?" he said.
Okanawa gave a humourless, nasty grin.
"Very well. I hope plenty of people are there to see me wipe the floor with you." He said.
Hitsugaya couldn't have been happier. The man had actually helped him by saying that.
He nodded curtly and walked away. He had to prepare.
The printing press in the Seireitei had never worked so hard. The Shinigami working with it were frantically trying to get the news of the duel out before the afternoon issue. Prodigy vs Captain. Now this was going to be a match to watch.
The training ground at the squad ten barracks were packed to bursting. Shinigami from all divisions were squeezed into the area, and from what he could see, Hitsugaya thought there must be over three hundred. Some were perched on overcrowded rooftops, some, those capable of it, had gained higher vantage points.
Captain Soi Fon, who had agreed to referee the match, as she was considered to be neutral, stood in the centre of the area, impassively scanning the crowd.
Then, at exactly eleven in the morning, the first of the combatants strode out.
Okanawa walked with complete confidence, he had a strange sort of swagger, as though he had already won. He waved to the crowd who responded with a huge cheer.
Soi Fon, made another hand signal. Hitsugaya, taking a deep breath and setting his face in stone, strode out to less than thunderous applause. He didn't care. They could boo him if they wanted, and in fact, some did, but all he really cared about at that moment was the man standing tall only a few meters away.
He bowed as he got close. Just low enough to be respectful but not nearly enough to cover up the fact that he had little love for the Captain.
Okanawa jerked his head slightly. The crowd 'ooh'ed. Apparently the older man wouldn't return the respect given to him. Hitsugaya almost bristled at the insult. He didn't. He kept his face impassive and let nothing through his mask.
Soi Fon nodded and gestured for them to stand in their positions. They did so, facing each other, barely a meter from the other. The crowd could feel the tension, palpable in the air. This was a grudge match, pure and simple.
Soi Fon gave another signal and they turned, backs facing each other and walked nine paces each, Toshiro having to widen his steps slightly, and stopped. They turned and slid into well practiced combat positions.
Soi Fon took a couple of steps back and raised her arm.
"Three."
They stared each other in the eye. Okanawa seemed to be engaging in some kind of staring contest. Toshiro blinked freely. Losing an advantage because of dry eyes was very, very stupid.
"Two."
Hitsugaya centred himself. His entire focus was on his opponent. The minute muscle contractions that preceded an attack, the slight rise and fall of his chest that told him his breathing rate, the tightening of the skin across his knuckles as he gripped his zanpakuto and the ebb and flow of his reiatsu.
"One."
He felt a wave of cold rush through his veins as Hyorinmaru gave him silent reassurance. He relaxed his mind but tensed his muscles, ready to go on the defensive as soon as the fight began.
"Begin!"
A sharp stab of adrenaline and they were off. They each sprang at the other, swords raised high.
Neither was using flash step. There was the metallic clang of metal as they hit and then jumped back. Each surprised by the others strength.
They circled each other, the crowd was almost silent, their feet sending clouds of dry dust into the air.
Okanawa made the next move, clearly compensating for having underestimated his opponent, he flash stepped in a zig zag pattern towards Hitsugaya. The crowd drew in an almost theatrical gasp as his strike was blocked with a defensive move of equal speed. They flew at each other again, each using the flash step. To the lower ranked shinigami, their movements were impossible to see. They were both mere blurs and dust trails. The air was filled with the sounds of screeching metal and exertion.
Suddenly, Soi Fon raised her hand towards the shorter combatant.
"First blood, Toshiro Hitsugaya."
Sure enough, Okenawa's cheek sported a tiny cut, just deep enough to draw a small trickle of blood.
He slapped a hand to his cheek and when he looked at it, a small smear of red was visible on his hand. His face curled into and angry snarl.
He rushed again, still using flash step. Hitsugaya propelled himself into the air and in a flashy move threw his sword high into the air. The crowd and his opponent allowed their eyes to follow the blades movement as it arced in the air, unable to believe he had done what he had.
Taking advantage of their inattentiveness, Toshiro stretched out a hand and called out,
"Hadou 31: Shakkahou!"
Red light thundered from his outstretched palm, impacting on his opponents arm. It was only a graze, but the overpowered kidou ripped a rent in the flesh. Okanawa bellowed his pain and anger.
As soon as the kidou left his hand, Toshiro reached up and grabbed his falling sword, snagging it just as it was about to fall out of his reach. He followed up with a basic combination attack but was sent flying back from a well aimed swing.
Okanawa flash stepped again, only this time, his speed had increased even more. Hitsugaya was forced to parry and dodge, he was steadily forced back to the wall of the temporary battle ground. There was no time to use kidou nor to make an opportunity to do so. He dimly heard the cheering of the crowd of the sound of metal against metal.
Strike, parry, block, dodge, dodge, back, strike, back, dodge, parry, block, dodge, back, there!
Feeling rather than seeing the wall behind him. Toshiro parried a strike and lashed out with his foot in a vicious kick. While his opponent doubled over yet didn't abandon his defence, Toshiro spun and narrowly ducked under a swing that would have taken his head off. He felt a stabbing pain that told him he hadn't been as successful as he thought. He planted a foot on the wall and propelled himself up. The small wall run ended when he pushed off hard and flipped backwards over his opponent. At the apex of his jump, he lashed out with the chain at the end of his sword. The sickle shaped blade sliced through the older man's back. It would have cut deeper had he not been already turning to counter Hitsugayas unexpected move.
He landed and without seeing if his move had had the desired effect, he jumped backwards and landed a good few meters away.
He noted that the crowd seemed to in some sort of confused Vs shocked state.
He never took his eyes off his opponent. The man was standing, facing him and was seething. Toshiro could feel where he had been cut, it was deep, he could feel the blood trickling, barely warmer than his cold skin, down his neck and back, whenever he moved it sent excruciating spasms of pain through his body. He breathed and forced himself to ignore the pain.
Toshiro narrowed his eyes. There, his opponent's muscles strained and almost in slow motion, Okanawa moved to attack.
Bringing up his chain and blade attached to it, he lashed out with a blindingly fast strike. Okanawa narrowly dodged the scything blade and had to jump to the side, ending in a roll, to avoid it. He barely had time to register his surroundings when the chain was mere inches from him. He dodged again, just barely avoiding the blade aimed for his neck.
He made to dodge the next strike but was a fraction of a second too slow, the chain wrapped around his blade and it was almost wrenched from his grip. They were locked in position.
Toshiro didn't possess the pure physical strength to completely disarm his opponent but Okanawa couldn't break free on the chain wrapped tightly around his zanpakuto. He looked with pure anger, humiliation was writhing in his eyes as he locked gazes with the younger shinigami.
"This has been fun, but I really must finish you. Sing, Daihibiki!*" He yelled. His orange reiatsu exploding into visibility.
Toshiros eyes widened as the captain activated his Shikai. His blade, once a normal wakizashi, was changing before his eyes. With an ear shattering noise that sounded like a thousand screeching notes assaulting the ears of anyone close enough, the metal began to morph.
The main blade split into two, leaving a space in between. With a last scream from the metal, the blade resembled a large tuning fork. Strings of power rippled and fizzled along its length. A sound, almost not heard by the ears, but by the very being, filled the air. Its notes were harsh and angry, reflecting the mood of its wielder.
Okanawa grinned.
"Daihibiki will rob you of your confidence boy." He said.
He let go of the hilt of his sword. Toshiro was shocked. What the hell?
The sword fell, as it did, the chain wrapping around it slackened and fell loose. Having just enough time to swing it back and retract it, Hitsugaya jumped back as fast as he could.
Not a moment too soon. As soon as the zanpakuto made the lightest contact with the hardened earth, a tangible wave of sound crashed outwards. It tore up the ground, sending dust and clods of hard earth in a violent ripple.
Hitsugaya leaped into the air to avoid the blast but was caught by the tail end as he descended. He was bodily thrown into the wall of the arena and he distinctly felt something give way in his left arm. His right still clutched the hilt of his sword.
He had no time to think. Okanawa had picked up his fallen sword and thrust it into the earth once again. Another ripple of sonic energy bust from the blade. Hitsugaya, having no wish to be on the receiving end again, propelled himself skyward and narrowly avoided it. The very moment his feet touched the ground he was forced to dodge yet again. He landed on his side in a roll and cried out when the bones in his injured arm grated against each other. He bared his teeth and forced himself to dodge yet again.
They played the game of deadly cat and mouse until Toshiro found an opening. There was almost no end to the waves of sound. His arm was clearly damaged and his head pounded. There was a large gash on his cheek from a stray sliver of rock that had been unearthed by a strike and blood trickled into his eyes from a cut at his hairline.
He studied the pattern of attacks. Okanawa could only attack one wave at a time. Once the sonic wave was unleashed, he didn't seem to be able to fire another until the first one had dissipated. He also had to raise the blade and thrust it into the ground.
He couldn't go on fighting like this. He had to activate his Shikai to even have a remote chance against such a barrage. In the times Okanawa had been training, Toshiro had never seen his Shikai. That had him at a disadvantage. However, he was certain that Okanawa hadn't seen his either.
He avoided another strike, looking carefully for his opening.
"C'mon boy! Too difficult for you?" Okanawa laughed as he sent another concussive wave. The crowd cheered.
Hitsugaya dodged, flying higher up into the air than he had before.
He allowed himself a slight smirk to grace his lips. Okanawa saw it and his own grin faded. Hitsugaya raised his blade and called the words that sent a heady buzz of frozen power though his body.
"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
His reiatsu exploded in a plume of turquoise. The crowd who had been cheering for Okanawa fell quiet. Many of them chocked on the crushing combined spiritual pressure of the two combatants.
Shafts of pliable ice wrapped around the blade of the ice masters zanpakuto. They spiralled towards the sky that darkened and blotted out the sun. The air became painfully cold to breathe and breaths came in sharp twists of white vapour.
The ground was covered in a thick layer of frost that crept up the walls and coated the roofs around them.
Ice formed from water in the atmosphere grew and took a long serpentine form. Sharp sheets of ice formed scales with razor edges along the body.
Okanawa watched as the ice formed a huge dragons head. Spikes adorned its face and neck and large, lethal looking horns coiled from its icy skull.
Large, spiny wings unfurled and sent showers of sharp ice slivers raining down below. They blotted out what little light remained, sending the arena into a pit of shadow. The creature's eyes opened, showing a brilliant, fathomless red that shone with the will of its wielder.
It opened its mouth and gave a deafening roar. Large needle like teeth protruded from inside the mouth and sent shivers down many a spine.
It fell silent but for the sound of cracking ice and circled its master who hung suspended in the air.
Its eyes roved the crowd before fixing on Okanawa, who was oblivious to the ice crusting his feet and skin.
It stared at him, neither moving to attack for assume a defensive position.
He sent a look in Hitsugayas direction. The young shinigami looked back; face still as blank as a sheet of the ice he controlled.
"Very impressive." Okanawa grudgingly complimented. "But while it may look flashy, I doubt it can stand up to the full power of my Shikai!" he ended in a yell, driving his sword into the frozen earth. A monstrous ripple of energy burst forth, far stronger than any before it. It tore the very ground apart, ice and rock and earth were violently torn apart and flung outwards.
At a sign from its master, the ice dragon wrapped its long coils around him. The blast ripped into them, shredding the ice and scales and revealing a huge chunk had been torn out of the dragon. It slowly uncoiled itself to reveal a very much unhurt Hitsugaya. The dragon, to everyone's surprise save its masters, began to reform and soon was whole again.
"That was a free shot," the younger shinigami said. "You won't get another."
Toshiro raised his sword and brought it scything down, the dragon flowed the movement and roared down to meet the Captain. Its mouth opened wide as it crashed into the frosted earth, sending deadly spears of ice ricocheting in all directions.
Okanawa flash stepped out of the way just in time, rolling and ducking to avoid the attack. The acrobatics were tiring him out.
The ice dragon was on him again and he flung himself backwards, his balance wavered and he tipped back, he stretched out his arms and executed a handspring that took him out of the danger zone.
Balancing on the balls of his feet he waited for the next attack, it came not a second later. He brought up Daihibiki and unleashed an aimed attack into the gaping mouth of the dragon.
The two huge forces cancelled each other out just like he had hoped. Unfortunately, when the dragon exploded it send deadly icy shrapnel flying outwards.
One large shard imbedded itself in his left leg, he yelled in pain as his leg gave way under him, sending his crashing to the ground.
His opponent didn't give him time to rest and get his bearings as the reconstructed ice dragon made another sweeping attack.
Okanawa spat out a curse as his leg crumpled as he dodged. He couldn't go on as he was, with his leg out of commission and only using his Shikai.
"It's over now boy!" he panted. Hitsugaya had barely enough time to register his words before he yelled,
"Bankai!"
There was an explosion of spirit pressure. Two recruits fell into unconsciousness and everyone else fought to keep themselves from shaking.
Okanawas face was a maniacal grin.
A wave of light blasted in a circle from around him, it caused no damage but where it dissipated, massive metal structures pushed up from the ground. Towering at least fifteen meters in height, they threw huge shadows over the arena.
His zanpakuto shrieked and split into two. In each hand he held two identical sword that looked like large tuning forks. One was red and the other white, energy crackled along their length.
"Try this on for size!" he screamed over the noise of the release.
He threw his arms out wide then slammed the two swords together with huge force. A truly colossal shockwave blasted outwards and hit the ring of metal structures. With an ear-splitting noise that rent the air, the wave was bounced back and around the ring. Toshiros eyes widened. Frantically he wrapped himself in a protective cocoon of ice and braced for the impact.
It came not a second later. The wall of sonic force shredded his defence and shook him to his very core. He was thrown bodily into the wall, leaving behind a sizable crater. He coughed up blood. Every bone in his body seemed to be rattled beyond thought. Every joint hurt to move.
He forced his battered body to get up and throw himself ungracefully to the side, avoiding a scything sheet of energy that almost took his arm off.
He straightened and ducked again instantly as the same wave he had just avoided was reflected back at him from one of the posts.
He swore. This was not going well.
He ran and he dodged and he ignored the cheering of the crowd and the comments thrown at him.
He just had to survive. Or everything would be for nothing. Everything he had worked for, everything he had given up. Everything he had sacrificed and everything he had put up with.
Everything.
Another blast hit him, his ice softened the impact but he screamed out loud when it ripped through his injured arm. He slammed into another wall. His vision was going black.
Okanawa stood, tall and proud, looking at him.
"You fought well boy, I'll admit that. But you could never stand up to me. You can't defeat me without a Bankai, and we both know you don't have one." He shook his head. "Face it, it's over."
Hitsugaya spat out some blood. No, it wasn't over. Never.
He chuckled, weakly and sent blood spraying from his lips.
Okanawa frowned. "What the hell are you laughing at boy?" he asked angrily. He stared. His opponent was usually so calm. So completely cold and impassive he showed neither happiness nor anger.
Yet here he was, laughing at him.
"You think in such small terms Captain." Hitsugaya spluttered.
"What?" he snapped.
Toshiro hauled himself to his feet, unaware that the watching crowd had fallen silent.
"It's not over." He said, blood staining his lips. "Not yet. I still have one more ace to play."
Okanawa gripped his swords.
"No boy. You're mistaken, you cannot defeat me!"
"You're the one who is wrong. I probably shouldn't," he said quietly, though his words echoed enough for all to hear. "But I think I will enjoy this. Bankai."
End
* Daihibiki means Great Echo, or Sound. It's probably wrong, but I tried.
Want the rest of the fight? If so, I'll probably post it in the next chapter. Depends if people want it or not! So, please tell me if you do.