Yamaru sat on the floor of a rather bare looking house as a woman applied bandages to his wounds. He didn't say anything, his eyes reflecting his sorrow over the day's events.
"It wasn't your fault, Ya-chan." The woman said, sitting next to him. "It's one of the risks of living so far from Seireitei, and we knew it."
"Sara-san." He muttered, sorrow dripping from his lips.
"Now you stop that." Sara chided, "You've only been here a few days, but you are a kind, sweet boy. Taru liked you, so did Kuro-san, and besides they didn't die, they are just going to be reborn."
"She's right Ya-kun, so stop moping, you gave that hollow a hell of a time for eating them anyways." Kusonotsu said, walking into the room. "They'd be proud to have seen it." He chuckled slightly remembering the fight.
"He's right, Ya-chan, you kept everyone safe by attacking that thing, and you were so brave." Sara said softly. "Are you going to enroll to Shinoreijutsuin like the Shinigami suggested?"
"Souls could live a better afterlife if there were more Shinigami around." Kusonotsu added. "And if they were more like you, honest, hardworking, and the guts to face death head on." He grinned and threw his arm up in front of himself, grabbing his bicep and flexing.
"Sara-san, Kusonotsu-san." Yamaru looked at the two, life returning to his eyes. "I am too weak, I couldn't save Taru-san and Kuro-san," He replied, clutching his fists in anger. "I swear to work hard, and become a splendid Shinigami, and protect as many souls as possible." He slammed his fist off his chest in declaration.
"That's right, and kill as many hollows as possible while you're at it." Kusonotsu said, narrowing his eyes and slamming his fist into his palm.
"Save." Yamaru said, quietly.
"Eh?" Kusonotsu grunted.
"I'll save the hollows." Yamaru replied. "When a Shinigami slays a hollow, all the souls consumed by that hollow are released, and all its sins cleansed. Right?"
Sara nodded, "That's what people says."
"Then they don't kill hollows, they save them." Yamaru said. "I'll become a Shinigami who protects souls and save hollows from their sins."
Sara, hearing Yamaru's words and allowing them to resonate deep within herself. She smiled softly, and reached up behind her neck, unclasping her necklace as she handed it to him. "Here, take this with you, Ya-chan."
"What is this Sara-san?" Yamaru asked, looking at the stone pendant on the chain.
"Taru use to live in Seireitei, but left to start a new afterlife with me." She said, still smiling. "He said it always protected him, so he gave it to me to protect me."
"Sara-san, I can't accept this-" Yamaru began, handing the necklace back, as Sara cut him off holding up her hand.
"Ya-chan, it's a gift for saving all of us, and a charm to keep you safe as you become a Savior for souls, whole or hollow alike." She said softly.
"Just accept it Ya-kun, she's a stubborn woman when she wants to be." Kusonotsu said jokingly with a chuckle, but stopped and clamped his mouth shut after a glare from Sara. Yamaru laughed lightly at the sight, accepting the necklace, putting it on.
"Now come on, if I thought I owed you a drink before, I definitely owe you one after today." Kusonotsu said, putting his arm around Yamaru's shoulder and dragging him out the door.
Yamaru applied to enroll at Shinoreijutsuin the following day, and was accepted. He got his uniform, and room as he now lives there, though he doesn't seem to have a roommate. His class was 49 people large, now that he attended, but he mostly spent his time alone still drills and practices were done in pairs or 3's. The students were taught the basics of Zanjutsu, Swordsmanship, first and Yamaru picked up on them pretty quickly as he rises to the top of the class by a rather large margin which only further sets him apart from his classmates.
Hoho classes were next which came as naturally to Yamaru as breathing. Every duck, weave, feint and spin flowed out of his body unconsciously, as if his body was leading his mind through the motions. This bred a bit of envy from some of his classmates, as they mostly all seemed to be struggling to get the basic movements, tripping over their feet and falling on their butts. Yamaru began to wonder if he could ever make any friends here.
The day ended with a very dull and boring theory class on some basic knowledge for Shinigami.
"A Shinigami's has three basic duties." The instructor said, trying to make the topic interesting. "First and foremost is leading lost or earthbound souls to Soul Society via Konso. These souls are called what?" He questioned, motioning to a female student.
"Pluses, sir." She answered.
"Correct." The instructor praised, continuing his lesson. "Pluses are souls who cannot accept that they have died and thus a bound to the living realm until they are able to get over these feelings. A konso enlightens a plus, allowing them to move on and safely come to Soul Society. If a plus stays too long in the living world, bound by regrets, what happens to them?" The asked, pointing to a different student.
"They become a hollow, sir." The student replied.
"Exactly." The instructor said. "To keep them on the same level, I will be referring to hollows as 'minuses' for the rest of the lesson. There is a physical representation to how long a plus has before becoming a minus, the length of their soul chain attached to their chest. When the chain erodes away, the base disappears, leaving a whole in its place. The plus then begins to transform and grows a boney white mask with a whole through its form where the soul chain was, thus the name 'hollow'. Minuses prey on pluses, trying to gain a part of themselves lost in the transformation. They also prey on humans with high levels of reiatsu, and are driven by instinct to devour anything they can. These creatures are the enemy of all spiritually sensitive being in existence, which brings us to the second duty of a Shinigami. Killing Hollows." The instructor paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink in before noticing a raised hand. "Is there a question?"
"Not really a question, just some correction if I may." Yamaru said, lowering his hand. "Hollows devour based on instinct the same way a parasite feeds on a host, it doesn't make them evil, vial, or menacing, their just another form of lost soul. Classifying them as a 'minus' while souls are a 'plus' is like saying that hollows are evil, and souls are good. If anything a hollow is neutral and souls have the ability to be both good or evil, right? Also, Shinigami cleanse hollows, not kill."
The instructor stood dumbfounded by the remarks, unsure of what to say. "I suppose you have a point, young man."He said with a nod after a while. "Any other concerns?" Yamaru politely shook his head. "Very well. Then, as I was saying, it is your future duty a Shinigami-in-Training to seek out and kill… I mean cleanse any and all hollows you find. This brings us to a discussing on Zanpaktous, but quickly I will say that the final duty of a Shinigami is to regulate and maintain a steady flow of souls to and from Soul Society and the living world." The instructor cleared his throat, grabbing the katana from his side, holding it up for the class to see. "This is what most Zanpaktou look like in their sealed states, thought they may have various hilts and guards. Some may take on the form of, or in rare cases be pair with, a Wakizashi, or the form of a Nodachi. Each Zanpaktou houses its own unique spirit, born from its wielders soul at the time of death, which means, yes, you all have one already." The students murmured a bit, while Yamaru's eyes widened a bit. "Until you can control your reiatsu well enough you will not be able to create a Zanpaktou, though you may be able to communicate with your spirit while you're here, by the time you graduate you will be able to create one. Also, if you are able to create a Zanpaktou while here, you automatically graduate." There were more whispers at this news. "It is also possible to create a Zanpaktou without communicating with you spirit, case and point, Captain of the Gotei 13 Squad 11, Kenpachi Zaraki-taicho. This is, however exceedingly rare, more so then twin Zanpaktou. The spirit in your Zanpaktou is a part of you, the manifestation of your hidden powers if you will. It is your partner and you are its master, you must assert control over it to bring out your full powers." The instructor paused, seeing a familiar hand rise up. "Another comment?" He asked.
"No this time it's a question." Yamaru said with a smile.
"Very well, what is it?" The instructor approved.
"Do the spirits of our Zanpaktous have a free will of their own?" Yamaru asked.
"What do you mean?" The instructor inquired.
"Well you said that it is the manifestation of our hidden power and that we can communicate with it, correct?" The instructor nodded, "So it has a mind of its own and can carry a conversation?"
"Yes, you are quite right. Good insight young man." The instructor answered, fully understanding the question. "Each Zanpaktou does indeed have its own personality, most of which are co-operative, some submissive, and others rebellious. But remember that you are its master, it is more like a limiter as you don't get too much power too fast."
"So we are to subjugate our Zanpaktous?" Yamaru asked for clarification.
"Indeed." The instructor replied.
"Shouldn't it be more of an equal relationship both ways then?" Yamaru questioned. "The spirit is created with authority over the power, while the Shinigami has the physical form to use said power."
"You view things from a different perspective than most people." The instructor replied. "How a person relates to his or her Zanpaktou is their own affair." Yamaru nodded in agreement.
"Sorry, sir, I meant no disrespect." He said apologetically. The instructor nodded in respect and continued with his lecture and Yamaru didn't interrupt him any further.
After class, Yamaru was exiting the classroom when men approached him. They both wore black Shihakusho like regular Shinigami, with white hoari over them and one of them had a pink flower kimono on over that. The one with the pink kimono had brown hair and a straw hat, while the other had long white hair.
"You're quite the opinionated one, young man." The man with the pink kimono said. "We over heard most of your lecture, you have a good outlook on things, not looking at the world in black and white."
"It's refreshing to get a student who understands that a bond between Zanpaktou and Shinigami is a two way street too." The white hair man added. "No matter the personality a Zanpaktou has, taking the time to work things out and communicate with your Zanpaktou will make you stronger."
"Thank you, sirs, but I was still out of line to contradict my instructor like that." Yamaru said. "I'll have to go apologize to him."
"Well, insightful and respectful. I like this guy already." The brown haired man said.
"Indeed, you'll make a fine Shinigami someday." The white hair man agreed. "We won't take anymore of your time."
"Thank you, sirs." Yamaru said with a bow. "Have a pleasant day." He turned and began to walk away.
"What was your name again, young man?" The brown hair man called to him.
"Kireajiha Yamaru." He replied.
"I think he'll go far, don't you Shunsui." The white haired man asked.
"I think so too, Jushiro, but there was something wrong with his reiatsu." Shunsui said.
"I felt it too, there is something strange about him, in multiple ways." Jushiro replied.
NRawk's Notes:
Okay, so another chapter down, and it's the longest yet! Now that I have my character all established and everything I can get to the fun parts. I hope people like this.
Right, I forgot to put this on the last two: Please R&R so I know to keep at this and what to fix.
And…
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters in its anime or manga. I am not Kubo Tite, and I refuse to say this every time because I am posting on a Fanficton site, you know, a fiction story created by a fan of a previously established story.