Seireitei was a massive place, and finding your way around in it was tougher than any battle Yamaru or Tansuko could have ever fought. The route to the Squad 4 barracks from the Academy was imprinted in all the minds of the students, and Yamaru could nearly walk it blindfolded now, returning from recovering from his injuries. But aside from that, Seireitei was a labyrinth of streets, and Yamaru and Tansuko found themselves completely lost.
"Are we there yet?" Tansuko whined, child-like.
"No." Yamaru replied, his patience clearly wearing thin. For the better part of the last two hours the two had been wondering Seireitei, trying to get their bearings.
"Are we lost?" Tansuko asked.
"No." Yamaru said sarcasticly, "I just wanted to see the vastness Seireitei and where streets don't go."
"I wanna see where the best fighters of all the Gotei 13 train." Tansuko whined again.
"And I want to see the vast nothingness of Seireitei." Yamaru continued. As they rounded a corner they both noticed some people running pass an intersection, one of which seemed to notice them and ran towards them. The man his dressed in a standard black Shinigami Shihakusho, has slicked back black hair, a stupid looking mustache, and the smell of alcohol so strong, it practically got Yamaru and Tansuko buzzed.
"You twos Ya-Ya n' Tan-chan?" He asked, slurring his words.
Yamaru and Tansuko merely looked at each other before hanging their heads and letting out depressed sighs. "Yeah, that's us." Yamaru answered.
"That girl." Tansuko cursed under his breath.
"Ha! Yous guyes too I sees." The man said. "Little pint-sized Vice-Cap'ain told mes to come gets youes." He unsuccessfully tried to compose himself a bit. "10th seat Aramaki Makizo… wait a sec, did I's hear someone men'ion a pint?"
"You did, you drunk, and not even the one you're referring to." Yamaru thought. "It's nice to meet you, Aramaki-san." He said, as politely as he could.
Tansuko had been fighting the urge, but couldn't hold back any longer. "Aramaki Makizo? Can we call you Maki-Maki?"
"Did that squirt tells youes about her lil nickname fors me?" Makizo questioned furiously. "None of that 'Maki-Maki' bull. Just call me Makizo-sama."
"How about Arazo-san then?" Yamaru teased cutting the 'Maki- Maki' from the drunkards name, Tansuko burst out laughing.
"Youes looking fer a fight?" Makizo threatened. "I'm 10th seat of the strongest Squad in the Gotei 13, not some 'defect', (A/N: 'Ara' literally translates to defect or flaw, I thought it fit.) and you will show me the proper respect."
"Our most sincere apologies, oh great Ara-sama." Tansuko said, this time Yamaru couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't need any of this." Makizo said his words more audible now. "That squirt will kill me if I don't get you guys back, and you're cutting into my drinking time, so come on, I'll lead the way." He instructed turning and running back the way he came.
The two followed after Makizo, making their way to the Squad 11 barracks. Yamaru and Tansuko stood in awe of the structure, looking up to the Gotei 13 crest with the kanji for 11 in it.
"If I'm dreaming, don't pinch me." Tansuko said.
'Okay." Yamaru said, slapping his friend on the back of the head.
"Hey!" Tansuko protested looking at Yamaru and rubbing his head.
"I didn't pinch." Yamaru defended, shrugging his shoulders.
"Come on you two." Makizo ordered, entering the building. They quickly followed their guide, anxious to see what it was like inside. They were led throughout the building, passing dojos, and outside training fields. Everywhere they looked, people were training, sparring, and even a few were mediating or working on their physical fitness. "We're here." Makizo announced as Yamaru and Tansuko found themselves in front of a large door. "Wait here." He said, opening the door.
The two entered the room, and immediately after Makizo closed the door, felt an unbearable weight press down on them. Tansuko fell to the ground on all fours, shaking under the pressure, while Yamaru fell to a knee, slamming a fist to the floor.
"What the hell?" Yamaru asked, straining to stay upright.
"I donno, but this is insane." Tansuko answered, "What do we do?"
"You can lay here and take a nap." Yamaru joked, pooling all his efforts into standing up. "A nap sounds good right about now." He thought as he began to push against the pressure.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tansuko question, sliding his feet under his body, still shaking.
"I saw a good place to rest out by one of the training field, you coming?" He replied, pushing up on his knee.
"Heh, I'll see you out there." Tansuko replied with a smirk, standing on his feet but still hunched over.
The two strained to stand up, buckling a couple times under the overwhelming weight. Finally the two were able to stand, legs shaking and knees buckled, triumphant against the unseen force. Yamaru was able to take one step towards the door before the invisible weight vanished, replaced by a menacing laugh. The two turned to see a towering man step out for a corner with Yachiru hanging off his shoulder.
"Ha! Whadaya know the wimps were able to stand." The man stated, Yamaru and Tansuko recognized his trademark eye patch, and spiked hair. "Quite the find Yachiru."
"Zaraki-taicho!" The two said excitedly.
"And Yachiru-fukotaicho." Yamaru added.
"Hiya Ya-Ya, Tan-chan!" Yachiru greeted, with a happy giggle. "Congratulations!"
"For what?" Tansuko asked.
"For passing Ken-chan's test." She replied.
"Weaklings aren't allowed in my Squad." Kenpachi said sharply. "I'll admit that you two have potential, so I won't mind you kids in my barracks, just try to get strong enough to give me a good fight sometime before I die." He said, chuckling at the end.
"You believe we could challenge to most feared man in all of Seireitei one day?" Tansuko asked in disbelief.
"Listen," Kenpachi said, looking to Tansuko, "I don't hid the fact that I don't have the best 'control' over my reiatsu, I have 'off', 'high', and 'just barely on', that's it. You two haven't even broken your shells yet and were able to stand under my reiatsu."
"Ken-chan has turned people from the Academy away because they were unable to stand before him." Yachiru added.
Confidence resonated through the two as the Captain and Vice-Captains words sunk it. They looked at each other and nodded, turning back to Kenpachi, "Just remember, you asked for it Zaraki-taicho." Yamaru and Tansuko said in unison, with looks of determination.
Kenpachi smiled evilly, "Heh, that's a good attitude to have."
"Come on Ya-Ya, Tan-chan, I'll show ya around." Yachiru said, jumping off Kenpachi's shoulder and walking over to the door.
"I'll be back later," Kenpachi said. "Damn old man's Captains Meetings."
"Have fun Ken-chan." Yachiru said. "Let's go Ya-Ya, Tan-chan."
"Good-bye Zaraki-taicho." The two said, leaving the room with Yachiru.
Kenpachi grunted in acknowledgement, but said nothing as he left and walk down the hall.
Yachiru was waving good-bye to Kenpachi went Yamaru bent down and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw him holding a bag full of candy. "Thanks for inviting us here today, Yachiru-fukotaicho." He said, smiling warmly at her. Yachiru's eyes grew wide with excitement as he handed her the bag, and her smile widened. She jumped up and sat perfectly balances atop Yamaru's head, enjoying her candy.
"No problem." She replied between bites. Tansuko snickered at the site as Yamaru stood up straight with his new pink-haired hat. "It's too bad; Cueball and Yun-Yun are both away on missions. I wanted to introduce you two to them." She said, as Yamaru gave up and accepted the fact that she was going to sit on his head while they toured to barracks.
"This place is amazing; I hope I can get in here when I graduate." Tansuko commented.
"I'll have much to look forward to it five years from now." Yamaru added. "You better train hard so I won't mop the floor with you when I get here." He jeered.
"Please, with me around you'll get rusty in no time." Tansuko shot back.
Yachiru giggled childishly in spite of the twos spat. "Ken-chan has already accepted you guys, he'll fight to keep you from going anywhere but here." She said happily.
Proud to hear that they had made a good impression on Kenpachi, Yamaru and Tansuko continue their tour when a red-haired Shinigami approached them.
"Yachiru-fukotaicho, have you seen 3rd seat Madarame?" He asked politely.
"Cueball is off with Yun-Yun, Pineapple-chan." She replied.
"Oh, okay. Who are these two? They look like Academy students." He said looking to Yamaru and Tansuko, disregarding his nickname and her seat as abnormal.
"Amimono Tansuko, 6th year at Shinoreijutsuin." Tansuko said.
"Kireajiha Yamaru, 2nd year at Shinoreijutsuin." Yamaru added.
"6th seat Abarai Renji." The man introduced himself. "What brings two Academy students to one of the Gotei 13 Squads?"
"I invited them, Pineapple-chan." Yachiru said happily. "They're future Squad members."
"I see, so what are your specialties?" Renji asked.
"Hakuda, 6th seat Abarai-san." Tansuko replied.
"Zanjutsu, 6th seat Abarai-san." Yamaru followed.
Renji let out an irritated sigh, "Enough with the '6th seat Abarai-san' stuff, just call me Renji." He said with a smile.
"Hey, Pineapple-chan, what happened to your new goggles?" Yachiru asked pointing to the white cloth tied around his head.
"A punk at the bar broken them when we fought, damn jackass." He said, cursing his luck.
"Well, we're gonna keep looking around, see ya later, Pineapple-chan." Yachiru said, motioning for Yamaru to continue on.
"It was nice meeting you, Renji-san." Yamaru said as they continued on.
"See you again soon." Tansuko added, following after Yamaru and Yachiru.
Hours passed as the three walked through the barracks and Yachiru introduced them to various people and showed them the sights. Before any of them realized, it was time for Yamaru and Tansuko to return to the Academy, so they decided to drop Yachiru off at Kenpachi's office. After saying their good-byes, Yamaru and Tansuko began their walk back to the Academy, greatly anticipating the rest of the year ahead.
NRawk's Notes:
Okay, so I have a continuity error to correct first. It turns out that forty years before the Aizen Rebellion, Renji, Momo and Kira were all still in the Academy, so now Yamaru's first year at the Academy was 20 years before the Rebellion.
So another chapter done for my adoring readers. I wanted to make it a bit longer because it may be awhile before I post another one, I just got Fable 3 (I don't have high expectation for it, but I always enjoyed a good play through fable every now and then) so R&R and thank you for reading.