Lex Talionis
Chapter 4
Ichigo and Gin were walking to their next class, and after yesterday's confrontation, no one approached the duo as they walked side by side down the hallway.
After a few minutes, both Ichigo and Gin eventually arrived to their first class of the day, Hakuda.
Per usual, they both sat in the back of the class to avoid unnecessary attention.
"Welcome again class to Section Six, Practicum, of Hakuda. For those of you who forgot, my name is Takeda-sensei and I am your instructor." A rather thin, middle-aged looking man said with a prominent voice.
"Everyone get with the partner you had last time and spar until I signal the class to stop," Takeda-sensei ordered.
Ichigo and Gin stood up, faced each other, and began sparring, as did the rest of the class.
* Elsewhere, Soul Society *
"Ōmaeda, get a move on!" a dark-skinned woman yelled.
"I'm coming Captain Shihōin!" a rotund man replied fearfully.
The Captain scratched her head with agitation, her patience running thin at her subordinate's lack of punctuality.
"Classes at the Shinigami Academy will be long over with by the time you're ready, so drop whatever you're doing and let's go!" she berated.
* Section Six Hakuda Class, Shinigami Academy *
"I hope you aren't goin' too easy on me, Fushou-san" Gin said as they both dodged and attacked each other.
Ichigo sidestepped a punch, grabbed Gin's hand, and threw the smaller boy behind him to the ground. Gin rolled through the fall and landed back onto his feet, his ever-present grin remaining on his face.
"Not at all," Ichigo replied calmly.
Gin smirked before charging forward, unloading a barrage of fists at Ichigo's face, all of which he gracefully dodged. Gin quickly switched up with a spinning low kick to a spinning high kick, both of which Ichigo avoided.
As Gin landed on his feet, Ichigo aimed a low kick at the back of Gin's legs causing him to fall flat on his back. Ichigo followed up with a palm strike aimed at Gin's solar plexus, but Gin narrowly dodged the attack by rolling backwards, evident by the resonating clap that Ichigo's palm made with the mat.
Gin used his momentum from rolling backwards to leap back towards Ichigo with a flying kick aimed at his head. Ichigo calmly ducked beneath the attack, grabbed Gin's ankle, and threw him at the classroom door just as it opened.
* Outside the Hakuda Class *
"I don't know why we're visiting the Shinigami Academy, Captain," Ōmaeda complained as he walked towards the classroom door.
"To look for potential members, now quit your griping," the dark-skinned Captain demanded.
"I doubt we'll find anyone here worth recruiting…" he retorted as he opened the door, but was soon cut off as a student flew right into him, knocking him unceremoniously onto the ground.
"Fushou-san," Gin said humorously as he landed on his feet, "You knew they were outside the class when you threw me, you tryin' to get me in trouble?"
"Your attack was quite obvious," Ichigo replied simply.
"Eh, I guess you're right," Gin replied before jumping back into the classroom and fighting with Ichigo once again.
"You were saying Ōmaeda?" the Captain asked with a smirk.
The man merely grumbled as he stood back up, crossing his arms and putting a scowl on his face.
The woman laughed with amusement before walking into the classroom.
"Class," the instructor said, thereby signaling the class to stop.
"Allow me to introduce to you the Captain of the 2nd Division, Shihōin Yoruichi, and her Lieutenant, Ōmaeda Marenoshin. For those of you who don't know, the 2nd Division is tied directly with the Onmitsukidō!" Takeda-sensei said respectfully.
Gin frowned before raising his hand.
"Yes, Ichimaru-san," Takeda-sensei said.
Gin looked at Yoruichi before saying, "If you're tied with the Onmitsukidō, shouldn't he have been able to dodge?" he finished while pointing at Ōmaeda.
Ōmaeda's eyebrow twitched, "Why you little…"
Yoruichi subtly elbowed her Lieutenant in the ribs before replying, "Let's just say that he has connections and leave it at that," she whispered.
Takeda-sensei quickly changed the subject at sight of the 2nd Division Lieutenant and said, "Ah, umm, Captain Shihōin, care to test any of our fine young students here?"
Yoruichi looked at the small boy whom the instructor called Ichimaru and asked, "Who was the student that threw you at my oblivious Lieutenant?"
Gin smiled, "That would be Fushou-san," he said, pointing at his roommate.
Yoruichi followed to where Gin was pointing and her eyes fell upon a tall young man with long flowing black hair. He had a strong, but not rigid, posture. A calm aura seemed to radiate off him, but if one were to look closely, a deathly quality could be recognized. He held his hands behind himself and looked directly at the Captain with a stoic stare, but his cold eyes seemed to bore themselves into her very soul.
Yoruichi smirked, seemingly unfazed, "You don't say."
"Fushou Ichigo," the student said evenly as he gave a slight nod to the Captain.
Yoruichi was now sporting a grin on her face and she said, "Ōmaeda!"
The Lieutenant was briefly startled before he answered, "Yes Captain?"
"I want you to spar with this student."
Ōmaeda looked at the student with apprehension, "He's just a student though."
"No excuses Ōmaeda, now spar!" Yoruichi said, not allowing her Lieutenant to back out of the fight.
Ōmaeda walked toward the student and said arrogantly, "Don't worry kid, I'll take it easy on you!"
Ichigo's expression and posture didn't change even in the slightest.
"He must be paralyzed by fear, and to think I was nervous about fighting him!" Ōmaeda thought.
Ōmaeda rushed toward Ichigo in an attempt to deliver a straight punch to the student's face, but much to his surprise, and everyone else's, things didn't go as planned.
Ichigo gently placed his fingers on the inside of the Lieutenant's wrist and pushed it away slightly, causing the punch to miss, and smoothly landed a palm strike on Ōmaeda's very large, very round stomach.
The 2nd Division Lieutenant was knocked to the ground for the second time that day.
Ōmaeda cursed under his breath as he quickly stood up and tried shaking off the attack, "That's not bad kid. Where are you from? Any student with that kind of strength has to come from a Noble Family like myself," the Lieutenant stated.
"I'm from Fushou, 80th District of East Rukongai. I do not descend from any 'Noble Family' as you put it," Ichigo replied with an even voice.
"A Rukongai commoner?" the Lieutenant said more to himself than to Ichigo. "Well in that case, your attack was probably nothing more than a fluke, let's see you stop this," Ōmaeda said with a hint of disgust as he charged at Ichigo once again.
"Another straight punch? His intelligence cannot be so lacking if he is a Lieutenant of a division that specializes in stealth," Ichigo thought.
Moments before Ōmaeda's fist reached Ichigo, the 2nd Division Lieutenant flash-stepped behind him with a punch aimed to the back of Ichigo's head.
"I suppose his intelligence is indeed lacking," Ichigo thought.
Ōmaeda's fist was mere inches away from landing until Ichigo tilted his head to the side, effectively avoiding the attack altogether. Ichigo grabbed hold of Ōmaeda's hand and proceeded to throw the Lieutenant over his shoulder and onto his back with a resounding thud.
Ōmaeda landed several feet in front of Ichigo, and after a few moments of confusion, he quickly got to his feet and recklessly charged Ichigo yet again with another straight punch.
Ichigo caught Ōmaeda's punch and then applied a small bit of pressure, causing the large man to fall to his knees.
"A noble kneeling before a Rukongai commoner, how interesting" Ichigo mused.
Ōmaeda grinded his teeth together angrily, his composure and restraint having long since broken, and he suddenly drew his Zanpakutō.
"Ōmaeda!" Yoruichi yelled.
The large man was blinded by anger and loathing as he charged the student with his sword.
Ichigo did not wait for Ōmaeda to take a single step more before Ichigo flash-stepped in front of the large man and landed a swift palm strike to the man's sternum with shocking strength, sending the Lieutenant through the classroom wall.
"His reaction is as fast as my own…" Yoruichi thought with utter shock.
After a moment of silence due to everyone's stupor, Gin spoke up, "You showed em' Fushou-san," he chirped happily.
Ichigo stood in place for a moment longer before he took his place next to Gin, showing no external reaction to the events at all.
Takeda-sensei regained his wits and said, "Class dismissed, everyone make sure to practice what we've been going over in our spars!"
The students all filed out of the classroom, many with avid gossip to discuss and spread at what they witnessed.
"A thousand apologies Captain Yoruichi," Takeda-sensei said with his head bowed.
Yoruichi regained her composure and replied, "If anything I should apologize for my Lieutenant," she said and looked at Ichigo, "Sorry about him."
Ichigo merely nodded in acknowledgement before walking off with Gin to their next class.
"Looks like this trip wasn't a total waste," Yoruichi thought.
* Hallway, Shinigami Academy *
"That Lieutenant sure was worthless, eh Fushou-san?" Gin said as they both walked side by side to their next class for the day.
"Ah," Ichigo replied.
"I forgot that the Captains of the Gotei 13 are visiting the Shinigami Academy today to see who they want in their divisions," Gin stated nonchalantly.
Ichigo chose not to comment.
"Are ya interested in any of the divisions, Fushou-san?" Gin asked, looking up at his quiet roommate.
Ichigo pondered the question shortly before saying, "I would fair well in the Onmitsukidō, so the 2nd Division."
"The 2nd Division eh? What about that pathetic Lieutenant?" Gin said with amusement.
"He won't be the first Lieutenant I force to retire," Ichigo said solemnly as they approached a practice field.
Gin's smile widened at what Ichigo said, but chose not to reply since they had arrived to class.
The students all stood on one side of the field, while numerous practice dummies were positioned on the opposite side.
"Hello class, glad you all made it to Section Six, Practicum, of Kidō today. I am Shimizu-sensei, your instructor," said a young woman with black hair tied into a bun as she walked towards the students accompanied by a young man with short brown hair and thick framed glasses.
"We have a guest today who will be observing our class for his division," she said glancing at the person next to her, causing her cheeks to redden slightly.
"5th Division Lieutenant, Aizen Sōsuke, it's nice to meet you," the man said politely.
"Lieutenant Aizen was also once a Kidō instructor here at the Shinigami Academy, one of the best I might add," Shimizu-sensei beamed.
"You flatter me Shimizu-kun," Aizen said, waving off the compliment.
"Alright class, line up and use any Kidō of your choosing," Shimizu-sensei said to the students.
The students only felt comfortable using one particular spell, given its simplicity and ease, "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hadō #31. Shakkahō," was chanted by every student, with the exception of two.
Gin looked at the 5th Division Lieutenant, "Would ya like a Bakudō or Hadō spell, Aizen-san?" he asked with a broad grin.
Aizen smiled at the young student, "Hadō, please."
Gin nodded before looking up at his roommate expectantly who stood next to him.
Ichigo merely nodded at the boy.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man!" Gin began to chant. Aizen frowned, believing the Hadō to be no different from all the other Hadō #31 Shakkahō spells that he had seen thus far, until Gin continued, "On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens."
Two blue bursts of blue spiritual energy shot from Gin's fingers toward the practice dummies and they were obliterated on impact.
Shimizu-sensei was ecstatic at Gin's proficiency and happy at the thought of impressing Lieutenant Aizen, "Excellent work Ichimaru-san!"
"Ah, thanks. Fushou-san, it's your turn," Gin chimed.
"Shimizu-sensei, I request that the students stand back as I would like to try a new spell and may not be able to fully control it," Ichigo asked calmly.
Shimizu-sensei had a gleam of excitement in her eyes, for she might possibly be able to color Lieutenant Aizen impressed if one more student pulled off an exceptional Kidō, "Of course Fushou-san. Class, please back away."
Ichigo closed his eyes briefly before he began, "Seeping crest of turbidity," he said evenly.
Aizen's eyes widened visibly, "Impossible!" he thought in disbelief.
"Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny!" he continued, the energy in his palm began to flicker.
"Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron!" he said, the energy growing with each passing moment.
"Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse!" he chanted, the energy was frightful.
Gin smiled widely.
"Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!"
"If he loses control…" Aizen thought before he flash-stepped in front of the students with the exception of Gin and said, "Bakudō # 81. Dankū" and a translucent rectangular wall erected in front of them.
"Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi" Ichigo finished.
A massive box of black energy soon enveloped all of the practice dummies, and as it closed around them, several spears protruded the box, lacerating them from within.
As the spell dissipated, the practice dummies were revealed absolutely destroyed, pieces littered the ground where they once stood upright.
Shimizu-sensei was stupefied, the spell was clearly beyond her own level, let alone what was taught at the Shinigami Academy.
Aizen dispelled the Dankū and spoke, "I must say Fushou-san, despite the fact that your execution was flawed, casting a level 90 spell is a remarkable feat, by any standard."
Ichigo remained staring at the destroyed practice dummies before saying, "It was a waste of time and energy."
Aizen smiled at his statement, "Interesting," he thought.