The skies of Souls Society were clear as far as the eye could see which only enhanced the greatest day of Yamaru's afterlife further. He had just passed his graduation exam, four years early at that, and now he had only one place to, but he had to make one stop.
"So, can we finally talk now?" He asked to nobody, sitting beside a door in a hallway. No reply. "Seriously? Silence again?" He placed his hand on the hilt of his new sword. "I know I heard you when I pulled this out of the box."
Me. A female voice said, spitefully.
"Right, I'm sorry," Yamaru corrected himself. "When I pulled you out of the box."
I'm still mad at you. Came the reply.
"What did I do to upset you?" Yamaru asked in confusion.
You locked me away for over forty years, and forgot about me, ninoya. She spat bitterly.
"Locked you away?" He asked, still confused.
I'm not telling you. The voice pouted.
"Ninoya?" He asked, trying to get at least one clear answer from his new partner.
If you can't even remember that, you don't deserve it. And I'm not you're 'new' partner. She countered. I guess we'll just have to start over again, you jerk. So what are we waiting for, you have somewhere to go right?
"Are you reading my thoughts?" Yamaru asked, "Never mind, if you are reading my thoughts then you should know."
There's no need to wait here though. The voice stated, a bit more neutral than before. Does it bother you that much that I read your thoughts?
"I know, but this is easier." Yamaru replied. "And if you could stop it in any way I'd appreciate it… what do I call you?"
You're not ready to know my name anymore, so call me Rei. And yes, I don't haveto hear your thoughts. Rei answered.
Just then the door slid open as Tansuko walked out.
"So, how was your day?" Yamaru asked, hiding his sword slightly.
"Well…" Tansuko began, depressed, "I… I passed!" He said, shattering the illusion of disappointment with excitement.
"So, where is it?" Yamaru replied slyly.
"Oh, you mean this?" Tansuko said proudly, revealing a Wakizashi strapped to his right forearm. It had no guard, with a metallic looking sheathe, and what looked like wire wrapping the hilt. The overall length was no longer than 12 inches and the sheath had two leather straps at either end, which were holding his blade to his arm. "Hey, shouldn't you still be in testing? How was the Headmaster?"
"Oh, he's fine, a very nice man. He even let me get something." Yamaru said, as if nothing were odd.
"Some candy? He usually has some around." Tansuko replied, casually.
"He had candy and all I got was this," Yamaru began.
I swear if you say it. Rei's threat came from what Yamaru pictured as the deepest depths of the abyss he dangled over not too long ago.
"cra-amazing sword!" Yamaru said hastily correcting himself, proudly revealing his new blade.
Death wish heard. Rei said in a monotone voice.
"Y-y-you…" Tansuko stammered, "You have a Zanpaktou."
"'As one would expect for someone who just passed their graduation exam.' As Unohana-taicho would say." Yamaru quoted.
"Okay, just for my mental benefit recap the last hour." Tansuko said, shaking his head as he began to sit next to his friend.
"Actually, since I'd rather not tell the story twice how about I take you to meet somebody first." Yamaru said, standing up and re-adjusting his sword.
"Where are we going?" Tansuko asked.
"West Rukongai, North End." Yamaru said as he led Tansuko down the hall.
After a few hours of carriage travel, the two stood in front of a two story house.
"Nice place, especially for the Rukongai." Tansuko said, looking at the building. "This an inn or something?"
"Nope, it's a house." Yamaru said, walking up to the door and knocking. "It's been a year since I last came to visit, and the current owner lives by herself." He explained as movement could be heard inside the house.
"Hello, who is it?" Sara's voice asked from behind the door.
"It's me Sara-san; I brought a friend to visit this time." Yamaru answered.
"Ya-chan!" Sara said, flinging the door open. "It's so good to see you again." She said, hugging him tightly.
"Good to be back," Yamaru said as she released him. "Sara-san, this is my friend Amimono Tansuko, Tansuko, Sara-san." He continued, motioning to either person as he introduced them.
"Oh, Ya-chan, I'm so glad you finally made a friend." Sara said, as she turned to Tansuko. "He may be a bit distant with his problems, but take care of Ya-chan would you." She asked, smiling warmly to Tansuko.
"Well we both help each other with our problems, but I will ma'am." Tansuko said, smiling back. "It's good to meet you." He reached out his hand.
"So, Amimono-san, what year are you in?" She asked in reply, accepting his hand shake.
"Graduated today, actually." He said proudly. "Just call me Tansuko."
"Aw, that means you'll be separated from Ya-chan," Sara said sadly, turning to Yamaru.
"Actually, I graduated today too Sara-san." Yamaru interjected pulling his Zanpaktou from his hip and showing it to Sara.
"Congratulations to both of you then." Sara said excitedly. "Come in and tell me all about it, I'll get snacks." She offered, as she pulled their sleeve dragging them into her house.
Yamaru and Tansuko took turns tell Sara about the previous year, and both got more than an earful from Sara after each one of their sparring stories. They told her about how they meet, and in turn how the met most of the Shinigami Women's Association, and more importantly Vice-Captain Yachiru. They told her about their many visits to the Squad 11 barracks, and Sara was happy to hear that they had already made friends over there. Finally, by Tansuko's request, Yamaru told them about his graduation exam, and everything that happened.
"Then I woke up and Unohana-taicho and Ukitake-taicho both explained to me what happened. After that I went and waited for you to finish your exam." Yamaru said, finishing his story.
Something else happened then too. An annoyed Rei said from the back of his mind.
"Oh right, then I had a short, uninformative talk with Rei." He added.
"Rei? Who's that?" Sara asked, not recognizing the name from any of their previous stories.
"My Zanpaktou's spirit." Yamaru said casually.
"Oh, that is so not fair!" Tansuko replied, a hint of anger and jealousy in his voice. "Hey, Web-head, you hear that, Yamaru learned his spirit's name in their first conversation. You still haven't told me yours, and I even materialized you're blade."
Child, if you believe a Zanpaktou spirit would give up its name in its first conversation, you are not yet ready to know mine. A deep voice replied within Tansuko's mind.
"She told me to call her Rei for now, actually." Yamaru explained, though clearly oblivious to the response Tansuko received from his Zanpaktou. "It's not her actual name."
"Oh." Tansuko said, "So, what does she look like?"
"Haven't seen her yet." Yamaru replied shrugging.
I'll not grace you with that pleasure for a while to come either. Rei said coldly. Especially now that you've confirmed that you truly forgot me.
"Have you seen yours?" Yamaru asked, trying to ignore his hostile partner. "Can we talk later, please?"
Fine. Rei replied.
"Actually, during my exam I did." Tansuko answered.
"That's right, I haven't heard about your exam." Yamaru said, leaning against a nearby wall. "What happened exactly?"
"Yes, I would like to hear about this too." Sara said.
"Oh, well it's quite the story." Tansuko said, grinning. "Okay, so there I was, sitting in class as just after the instructors told us how the exam was handled. The last thing I remember before I was in the web was the instructor pressing on my Saketsu and Hakusui…"
***A Couple Hours Ago***
Tansuko's consciousness quickly came to him as he felt himself losing his balance. Instead of the nice broad floor he had previously been standing on, there was now a thin string, what looked like a wire, which suspended itself over a dark never-ending pit. He looked around, trying to get his bearings, noticing many other wires which intersected one another forming a web-like structure. Above a moon shone pure white light down softly.
Ah, welcome toddler, to your soul. A deep voice said from far below.
"Not going o show yourself after I went through the trouble of coming all the way here?" Tansuko joked, looking down into the hole.
Toddler, you would do best to pick your words carefully. The voice warned, as Tansuko saw two white spheres, which looked like eyes, shone through the shadowy pits. Though I will admit that since the arrival of that boy you have grown stronger, this test may still be too soon for you.
"I have been working my ass off for three years, and now I will earn your respect." Tansuko sneered.
A low chuckle emanated from the pit as two more eyes opened. Well then your trip was in vain, what was it that human poet wrote? '"Will you walk into my parlor?" Said the spider to the fly.' And with that a large insect-like leg jolted out of the darkness, plucking the wire Tansuko stood on.
Tansuko jumped back, managing to land on another wire, staring down at now eight eyes. Seven more legs came up, ripping a hole in the wire net as a spider standing roughly 30 feet pulled itself up onto the web. It resembled a golden orb spider, except it looked metallic and all the hairs protruding from the looked like wire.
"So now what? You have me in your little web, what are you planning." Tansuko asked smugly as he stared down the giant spider.
Child, you have grown much in the past year, and though I believe it is too early, I shall grant you my blade, for I trust in your potential. If you were to stay another year here in this place, you would most likely not improve much. But that Squad 11 seems to be a good place for you to grow. The spider said as it reached through the hole it just climb and began to pull a wire which seemed to be attached to something. Take this blade and grow child. I grow weary of this place, so learn to draw my power out so that we may see many different places.
"Wait. Seriously, that's it." Tansuko asked in disbelief. "I come here and your just gonna give me your blade?" He paused for a second, "Did you just call me 'child'?"
Indeed I did, child. As I said, you have grown, and are no longer a toddler in my eyes, but you have a long road to travel to become a warrior. The arachnid said as a white box appeared from the abyss. Before you mentioned that you came here to earn my respect. A foolish notion. You had it the since before you could hear me. It pulled the box up and handed it to Tansuko. You work hard and overcome your challenges; I merely support your beliefs and will see to it that you become a great Shinigami.
Tansuko nodded, taking the box from the spider. Inside, he found his Wakizashi. "Thanks, I'll do us both proud." He said after admiring the blade for a moment.
Go forth and become strong, I shall watch from the shadows. The spider said, crawling back through the hole he made, fixing it after he passed and slowly lowering himself back into the abyss. Your friend awaits.
As the spider disappeared into the shadows, Tansuko felt the world blur and fade.
"Then I came to and the instructors told me I could leave." He said, finishing his story.
"A giant 30 foot spider is your spirit partner?" Yamaru asked, now that the story is done.
"Yeah." Tansuko replied plainly.
"Cool." Yamaru said high fiving Tansuko.
"You both must have had an exhausting day." Sara said, standing up. "How about you both stay for the night, I have the extra room."
"I wouldn't want to impose…" Tansuko began, only to be cut off by Yamaru.
"As long as it's not a bother." He said smiling.
"Not at all Ya-chan," She replied, exiting the room with a smile.
"You sure it's okay?" Tansuko whispered to Yamaru.
"She lives here by herself," Yamaru said, his smile disappearing from his face. "I wasn't strong enough to protect Taru-san, or Kuro-san, and Kusonotsu-san was taken by a hollow last year. I just want to keep her company for a bit."
"If you say so, then fine." Tansuko said, leaning back against the wall. "It's a nice house anyways."
"Yeah, besides, next stop is the Squad 11 barracks." Yamaru said, sprawling out on the floor.
The two talked for a while about their plans for after joining the Gotei 13, and what they thought Squad 11 would be like. Sara made supper and they talk well into the night until they decided to turn in for the night.
Your still the same. Rei said as Yamaru laid in his bed, staring out the window.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
Even though you forgot me and your past, you didn't forget yourself. She replied, her tone carrying a hint of caring in it. You still blame yourself for things you cannot change, and work hard to obtain the power to protect the ones you love.
"You know my past?" Yamaru asked curiously.
Of course I do, I am an extension of you. It is only fitting that I know everything about you. She explained.
"But I don't know anything about you, at least not anymore." He said, shame seeping into his voice.
Then I suppose you'll just have to learn about me all over again. She said into a more caring tone, noticing Yamaru's guilt.
"What, don't I get any hints?" He asked, with a slight chuckle.
Nope. But I'm a bit happier now. She said with a bit of energy.
"Why."
Because you were a well respected man when you were alive, and you're still the same.
"Don't suppose you'll tell me about my life, even if I ask, would you?"
Depends on the question.
"Okay, was there a man named Gabriel who had any significant meaning in my life?"
Yes. He was a Shinigami, the first one you ever met.
"Anything else?"
Nope.
"How did I meet him?"
Can't say.
"Are you going to tell me anything else?"
Nope, you should get some sleep.
"Fine, fine, but we'll talk again later." Yamaru said, as he pulled the covers up and turned away from the window. "Good night Rei."
Good night, Yamaru.
NRawk's Note:
Okay, so it took some time to think of this one, so I apologize for the wait.
So I'm going to try something for the next few chapters, since Zanpaktou's are involved now. Obviously as you can see I am using italics and underlined text for a Zanpaktou's speech. I noticed another author, RyuuRaiden, doing this in her fanfic 'The Elemental Dragons' and I wanted to try it out. Also, starting next chapter I am going to stop with the constant 'he said' 'she said' in dialogue between only two characters, it just feels like its dragging out my story.
Anyways, please review this chapter, I hope to have the next one up soon, and I hope you enjoyed yourselves.