Disclaimer: The ideas and concepts used in BLEACH belong to Tite Kubo, as well as any regular characters. Most of the characters in this story belong to me. Thank you.
Down the road they strode, the three runaways of the world's greatest war. Shin Kenpachi, Hoji Araijin, and the assassin Suichi behind. In this, the Great Golden Age of the Shinigami Wars, these aimless men are of a special kind. The kind who accept only the responsibilities they make themselves and shun those who attempt to guide them in a better direction. The kind of men who will fight whatever fight they can to prove that it can be fought regardless of one's strength. These are the lost men of the world, the Manzenryuu.
However, these men aren't the only ones who walk such an unmarked path. Many different people have strayed form the thin edge between protecting the weak and giving work to those who do. In this wilderness that borders the great region that wars with the citizens of the Seireitei, there is a hamlet of peaceful people who are found to be under the constant crushing thumb of destiny, inches from being snuffed into mush. All because of those who fight for no one else…this is where we rejoin Shin Kenpachi.
"Damn you, Shin" Suichi whined. Shin glanced over in his direction, not breaking his relaxing stride.
"What now?" Shin asked.
"Eighteen hours…" Suichi quivered. "Do you two usually fight for eighteen hours straight?""
"Meh" Hoji huffed apathetically. "We could've kept going if you hadn't've passed out all of a sudden like that."
Suichi made a long face with a smile. Maniacs… he thought sullenly. At least Netami's off my ass though…
"Oi!" Shin exclaimed as he crested the hill. "There's a town down there!" Hoji came up the hill and gazed down with Shin, Suichi following closely behind only to collapse at their feet. "Maybe we can steal some food and camp in the woods…"
"No," Suichi said from the grass. "I doubt that's necessary…"
"Really? Hoji asked as he looked down. "We're both fairly wanted men. Staying in the woods is a pretty sound defense against getting caught up in a huge battle we don't need to fight."
"That was behind us…" Suichi mumbled as he rose up to his feet again. "Back in the other region, you're wanted. We've crossed the border between there and here already, so I doubt anyone really knows about you guys right now." Shin and Hoji gave a long pause as the stared at each other. Hoji's eyebrow cocked up, and Shin's eyes drifted slowly down into the valley. Before either could give a proper exclamation to announce their happiness, Suichi fainted. Hoji looked down, waited for movement, and kicked Suichi's body.
"Wake up…"
"That doesn't work" Shin said.
Carrying Suichi over shoulder, Shin walked down the peaceful, empty street of this calm little town. The homes weren't the same architecture that he had seen in most other places, having a more serene feel to them. They all looked much more spacious besides, with green tiled roofs and multiple floors. The walls were made of stone and plaster, and even the streets were carved of stone.
"Nice place" Hoji said.
"I suppose," Shin replied warily. "Do you notice something weird?" Hoji glanced over at Shin, then started looking around. Windows in houses only ever showed brief flashes of occupancy. Whatever people happened to be watching them didn't continue for long.
"Feel familiar, eh?" Hoji joked. Suichi moaned loudly and Shin repositioned him over his back while holding his legs in place.
"We should find somewhere to rest" Shin said. Hoji nodded and the both picked up to a light jog down the street. As they rounded the corner and left sight, the windows cracked open in the upper stories of the houses to make sure they were truly gone. In the center of town was a dormant fountain in front of a very spacious looking building. Shin and Hoji looked at each other, shrugged, and started inside.
"Hello?" Shin called out. The place, while nicely furnished, was completely empty. A fireplace glowed with but a few small embers across the large room. There was enough space for a duel to take place, even. Large mats made of animal fur lined in front of the fireplace, low tables and high tables with chairs at a bar for drinks. A sign that read 'Welcome, Adventurers!' hung above a small counter in the corner.
"It's an inn" Shin said dryly.
"I guess so," Hoji said suspisciously, "but why isn't anyone here?"
"Well, they are here" Shin said as he laid Suichi down on a large, bearskin mattress. "They're all just hiding for no reason."
"Right…" Hoji replied. He took a look around at the hall and spun around in place until he was at the dead center of the building. "OI!!" he began as loudly as he could. "Wherever you're hiding and for whatever reason, come out now!" Without provocation or ration, he unsheathed his sword and held it with strength. "We'll find you regardless, anyway!!"
"Hoji…" Shin lowed.
"Yeah?" Hoji pleasantly replied. Without the time to turn his head the whole way, Shin was already in the air, spinning at the hip with his heel fast approaching Hoji's face. The kick sent Hoji straight through the air and into the wall while Shin gracefully landed on both feet with his arms lax.
"Don't scare these people any more than they obviously are…" Shin explained very calmly. "The last thing we want right now is to sleep in the woods against our will." Hoji sheathed his sword and stumbled out of the hole he made, nodding ashamedly as he walked back over. "I'm sorry, but we need a room and some food. Can anyone help us here?" Shin shouted. From the corner desk, a young woman rose up slowly and with great fear on her face.
"Umm…" she cooed. "We have…a room, but…money…" Through her hesitance, Hoji picked up on the important matter and went over to Suichi's sleeping body. After a moment of rummaging he pulled out a hefty bag of coins and walked them over to the counter.
"That enough?" Hoji asked. The woman undid the tie-string and a pile of coins came out. With glowing eyes, she reached over across the counter and rang a small bell. Out of concievably nowhere, a lively bunch of workers came rushing out with happy faces.
"Welcome, weary travelers!" They all called out in chorus. Shin and Hoji backed against each other with great discomfrot, having never experienced this degree of hospitality.
'Oh, you boys look tired.' 'Look at these tattered robes you're wearing!' 'We'll stitch them up for you right away!' 'Is that your friend over there?' 'Are you boys soldiers?' 'I like your swords!' The questions and comments came at non-stop. Shin and Hoji were abound in a mist of confusion. Before they knew it, they had been disrobed and refitted with loose silken evening robes and pants with their swords still in tight grip.
"Don't you worry," cried out an elderly woman as she left. "We'll fix your clothes for you by morning!"
"Are you boys hungry?" a large man called out from the long bar area. "I can make anything you want me too!"
"Meat!" Hoji shouted, finally shrugging off his insecurity and pacing over.
"How much?" he asked, reaching down for a large bundle of raw meat.
"As much as you can make! I don't care what it is, as long as it's meat!" Hoji planted himself down on the chair and leaned closely over the bar counter, licking his lips with wide eyes.
Shin, more curiously attentive of his surroundings and the degree by which they had changed, approached the now cheery and pleasant young woman at the desk.
"So, were we really that menacing as poor people?" Shin asked casually.
"I'm very sorry about that," she admitted bashfully. "Our town has come under attack from bandits recently. They sweep through randomly and kidnap any women they find, stealing all our food and money as they go! They're horrible…I'm sorry we grouped them in with you."
"Eh, no worries I suppose" Shin said laxly. Hoji was happily eyeing down the food being prepared in front of him and several servants were carrying Suichi up a flight of stairs. "If those bandits do come, though, don't be afraid to ask us for help."
"But, you don't understand!" she advised. "These men are very powerful! They're part of the Kyuuhiouto, a ruthless organization against the Emperors that ransack everything they come across! They can't be stopped…" She would have gone on, but Shin gave her insurance. He had drawn out hiss word and slung it over shoulder, gently brushing her bangs out of her face with the tip.
"Well, fancy names and titles don't matter to us" Shin explained through the shadows on his face. He straightened up and started off in Hoji's direction. He looked back through his glowing eyes that shone even brighter with the glare from his sword and finished to the newly fear-struck woman:
"We're just a couple of rogues on the loose…"
Translations
Manzenryuu (Aimless Style. Manzen can also mean perfection, the 'Perfect Style')
Kyuuhiouto (Nine Secrets Gang)
