Bleach x DOS (1/?)

...

Every shinigami wielding their shikai all swore by the effectiveness of jinzen, also known as sword meditation. It was the best and only way to communicate with one's sword spirit. Hisagi told her exactly that.

"I know. I've done it already. I've walked through the world in my mind. I've spoken with my sword spirit. Had long, long talks with him. Even played like a hundred games of shogi against him!"

And she'd lost nearly every single one, apparently. Shikako had complained to him about her losses before.

Shuhei Hisagi crossed his arms and frowned at her, concerned by her terrible mood and unsure of what to say to console her.

"I know his name! But he just. Won't Do. Anything."

"Are you sure it's his true name? Some spirits are rather playful." Or tricky. Or spiteful. Unlike his sword who just wanted to cut everybody up.

The look she gave him said it was an obvious explanation and one she'd already considered and dismissed. Do I look like an idiot? her glare asked him. "I know his name."

He sighed. "Okay. Did he give you a reason? Does he think you're not ready yet, or not worthy or something?" Those were the most common reasons why shinigami who'd made contact with their sword hadn't achieved shikai yet.

"He just doesn't want to do anything!"

A sword spirit who didn't want to answer summons? Hisagi had an epiphany. It was such an obvious answer. Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? "Release commands. That's it."

Shikako blinked. "What?"

He sighed again. "You late admission kids."

Actually, she was the only late admission kid of her year. Anyone with as much volatile reiatsu she had couldn't be allowed to wander Rukongai without learning how to control it. It was like she was unconsciously reaching for something around her, unable to grip it, but kept on trying because it was... a habit? She was liable to kill someone like that. It was a wonder she hadn't already.

"It was covered two months before you showed up." He reached over his bookshelf and dug around the neatly lined books and stacked scrolls for what he was looking for. "Release commands. Here's the in-depth look on it, but what the R&D guys in the Twelfth Division are basically saying is that sometimes, you need more than a name. For some spirits, a release command is more of a formality. Like opening a dam and inviting sentient water to spill out. It's polite. Sort of. For others, it's an actual command."

The girl scowled but accepted the book like he knew she would. "So I need to figure out his release command. It can't be that easy. Can it?"

"For most people it's instinctual. Learn the name, know the command. For others, like you apparently, not so much." Hisagi shrugged before shooing her out. "Good luck, and don't forget about the homework due tomorrow."

He watched as she wandered off, eyes glued to the first page of the book and mumbling something about deer.

A couple days later, Hisagi was walking past one of the Academy's training grounds when he suddenly felt the air thicken with a familiar reiatsu, and noticed that the shadows around him darkened.

Then, he heard a shout.

"Get up and do something Shikamaru!"

...

A/N: ...or something like that. Shikamaru, the laziest zanpakuto in existence, who may or may not actually be Shikamaru or just a manifestation of him in Shikako's head.

Hisagi Shuhei is, without a doubt, OOC, because I don't remember much about him at all, but I remember his sword.

Edit 8/11/16: Fixed a couple mistakes.