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.
"Took your sweet time" Shin said, standing elegantly atop the hill with his arms crossed. Suichi sat next to him, the dreadful fight just moments before having exhausted him completely. His legs crossed and still marred sword used as a cane, he breathed deeply with great relief.
"Sorry" Suichi said. "Hollow trouble."
"Lucky" Shin said, spying the rolling plains that were behind him. The sun was starting to set now. The trek had taken a few days already, and now that the team was within just a quick dash of their final destination, Shin wanted to get there as soon as possible. "He's still drudging along, thankfully."
"Who?" Suichi asked. "Hoji? I thought he'd left already."
"Nope" Shin said. "He's still getting here."
"How lost is he?" Suichi asked. Shin pointed out to a small, black dot on the far away hillside. It was Hoji, running around in dizzy, nonsensical patterns with his arms down at his sides. All the hours he had taken running like an idiot instead of flash-stepping had taken their toll on him. He was only a few moments from passing out entirely. Suichi had nothing to say. He just squinted in disbelief and straightened his back to try and snap out of the stupidity he felt.
"Doesn't make sense, does it?" Shin asked. "You wanna go get him? Or shoot up a frozen firework signal?"
"Even if I could" Suichi said, sitting back down "I don't want to attract too much attention. We can already see the light of town from here, nothing is stopping our enemies from seeing us if we reveal ourselves." Shin took the sheathe of his sword from his belt, spun it around, and then rested it in his lap as he sat down.
"Good point" Shin said. He joined Suichi in cross-legged meditation. "What kind of Hollow did you fight? What was his ability?"
"He was afraid of water" Suichi said. Shin raised his brows, not expecting something so strange to be considered a real ability or note-worthy trait. "It didn't really have any abilities that I could see. It had huge scythe blades for arms, though."
"Cool" Shin said with honest excitement.
"I killed him though" Suichi said.
"Great" Shin said, losing his excitement.
Did the scythes make him happy? Suichi asked himself. What, now that he has one he only thinks those are cool weapons? What's going to happed when he has to fight someone else with a scythe-type weapon?
"Say Suichi" Shin began, "do you have any enemies?"
"Uh..." Suichi hummed curiously.
"You're an assassin" Shin began. "By the way you present yourself and train, you're obviously a well-respected one, perhaps at the top of your guild or near it?"
"Yeah I am" Suichi said modestly. "Wait, how'd you know?"
"I've killed assassins before" Shin admitted. "Real ones, ones like you who were at the top of their league or their guild. They weren't really cocky about it, either. They were pretty stoic. Not many of them had their swords at your level, though. In fact, one of them didn't even use his sword. He tried to kill me with hospitality."
"Really?" Suichi said. Wait, when has Shin ever lied about killing people? Of course he's telling me the truth...but why is he so concerned over this now?
"I need to know" Shin admitted. "You're hanging out with us not to kill me..." Shin stopped and looked at Suichi. He wanted a clear answer from the mouth of the killer himself. Suichi turned in all seriousness and gulped.
"I messed with someone immensely powerful" Suichi confessed "and he got away. Well, I actually got away, and this guy is so prideful that he wants to hunt me down and kill me. He's been chasing me and technically you guys as well ever since news about us started springing up around the regions!" Suichi tucked his sword and sheathe away shamefully and stood up with his head down and away from Shin. "I'm sorry. I know being deceived like this doesn't really bother you, and Hoji may not be too mad at me, but honestly I dragged you both into a conflict you had nothing to do with."
"Well that's what we do" Shin said. "All we've been doing for how long is getting involved where we aren't wanted, like the Kyuuhiouto. Hoji and I just wanted to kick some ass." Shin then stood up, keeping his sheathed sword against his shoulder. "You have no reason to be sorry. If anyone comes for my head they need to be prepared to lose theirs in the process."
Suichi was hopeful now, a feeling he had long lost. Somewhere in the back of his mind, all throughout the fighting he had done with the Kyuuhiouto members, there was a fear of Netami grabbing at his heels. The dark, clutching shadow of death had loomed over him for so long, but now he could see some light. That shadow had lifted off the ground and manifested into Shin Kenpachi, a godsent warrior of Death whose blade could kill from miles away. Shin was a radiating god of darkness, even his warm smile sent the chills of death up Suichi's spine...but he still managed to smile back.
"Tch!" grunted a pained and strained voice. Hoji finally clawed his way up the soft hillside and plopped down on the ground, heaving heavy breaths. He took his sword from his belt and slammed it blindly on the ground in front of him, his face buried in the soft grass. "This blue-haired bitch got me lost! I hate her!"
"That's you in that sword" Shin said, kneeling down. "Treat yourself better." Hoji was breathing too heavily to make a witty response. Suichi and Shin both sat down on the soft carpeting of the hill and came upon a united revelation.
"Looks like we're camping tonight" Suichi said.
"Yup" Shin agreed. Hoji turned himself over and brought his sword back to his chest.
"We've only got a quick run tomorrow" Shin said. "It's better we get rested before we charge in to fight."
"It better not rain" Hoji growled. "I'll kill someone if it rains on us out here." Shin rose his head up and looked around. There was a slow and gentle breeze rolling in from the direction of the setting sun where there were no clouds at all. Shin was momentarily captivated by the sun in its glowing beauty, then smiled and laid his head down.
"We'll be fine" Shin said. "I'll kill the sky if it starts to rain." Hoji grinned and laughed as a breath out. Suichi made himself comfortable among his friends and all three slowly drifted away into sleep, following the sun past their waking world into nocturnal silence...
And while our 'not-quite' heroes slumber so peacefully, over the days they had journeyed a massive battle was raging on! Netami and the old man Inaga were still fighting vigorously. Neither had shown any sign of tiredness or mercy, Netami swinging desperately for the old man's throat and the elder jabbing non-stop with his cane at Netami's many open spots. The fighting had taken place all over the mountain, from the level stoop of the mighty temple to the snow-covered peaks of the mightier summit. Neither godly combatant gave an inch to his opponent, but the confidence the old man had easily trumped the tiring morale of brash and impatient Netami.
Needless to say, the other Tenshioni accompanying Netami were forced to wait inside the temple when it was safe as they could in no way keep up with that dangerous level of fighting. Horoshi was especially anxious, waiting at the top of the stairs all the time in the hopes of catching the fight if it made its way back.
"Horoshi" Kakugari said from within the temple. "Please, do not stay so precariously at the edge of the chilled mountain air. Come in, sit with the rest of us! Enjoy yourself while Netami vanquishes his foe."
"I dunno" Horoshi admitted. "That old guy seemed pretty sure of himself, you know? What if he's too much for Netami?"
"Don't be foolish!" Senshi blared, jumping up quickly to flex and pose. He walked lightly over to Horoshi and put a large hand on his shoulder, much to Horoshi's discomfort. "Netami is the pride of the Tenshioni! He is a mighty and unmovable force of power and doom! If we don't believe in him...it won't matter because he doesn't care." Those words, for whatever reason, seemed to bring absolutely no comfort to Horoshi. He was content outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of some happening that would make him a bit happier.
"Hash-RA!" shouted the old voice from far above. After a moment, Netami came barreling through the mist and into the stone-tiled floor in front of the temple steps. The old man came down much more gracefully, landing on his feet rather than on his back like Netami did, and hopped from the stooped roof of his stone home to the steps in front of Horoshi.
"Gah!" Horoshi gasped, jumping back. Senshi made his own silent reel back, lifting his leg and arm with very wide eyes at the sudden appearance of the strange little man.
"Hehehehe!" Inaga chuckled. "You're centuries away from beating me, young man! I train myself every day!" Netami was on his feet, black hair forming a dark curtain over his evil face. The glower of his orange eyes shone out through that black, and he gripped his sword tightly in his hand. With just a light stroke to the side, the tree on the mountain ledge started to shake. Inaga cocked a brow with a snide smile and watched. Netami slashed the blade of his sword to the ground and a myriad of cuts appeared all around and on the tree from out of nowhere!
"I am the nothing" Netami said quietly and angrily "that eats the sun at the day's end...!" Netami started breathing deep controlled breaths until he was calm. He then brushed the hair carefully away from his face and looked down at his foe with calm, analyzing eyes and a smile. "Give up, old man. Tell me what I want to know."
"Netami!" Horoshi shouted. "You need a hand!?" Horoshi drew out his sword, showing just how eager and anxious he was to fight, but Inaga was gone. Netami's eyes widened in shock as he heard the hollow knocking of wood behind him. Inaga flash-stepped in such a way that nobody was able to even remotely follow him, not even brilliant Netami. This of course brought a new twitch to his forehead.
"Let's see here" Inaga said. He tapped the tree one last time with his cane and all the branches fell off at once. Even the bark was peeled off, revealing the dense and thick underskin of the tree. It was sliced cleanly down to the very ground, which was covered in long an deep slash marks. "You killed this tree already, didn't you? You cut its roots off with that swing." Netami slowly started turning around, trying hard to control his anger.
"Watch this young man" Inaga said. He brought his fist back and prepared to punch the tree. His arm moved through the air in such a way that made the winds roar around him. He punched the air away from him as his arm moved towards the tree, making the whole act seem much slower than it was. Netami stayed standing where he was, the black of his hair making a sort of liquid shadow all over his face. Horoshi and Senshi were blasted inside the temple near Kakugari.
"What goes on?" the large man asked.
"Netami is at odd ends!" Senshi explained.
"Is he!?" Kakugari asked in disbelief. The punch still continued, Netami not moving at all due to his inability to, and finally Inaga was but inches away from contact. He uncurled his index finger, twirled it around laxly, and merely poked the tree. All the wind stopped instantly. Inaga then took his cane and disappeared back to the steps, knowing Netami wasn't patient enough to let an honest fight continue for long. As he landed the tree began to loudly creak and groan. Splits started occurring at odd places. Some kind of strange shape started forming with the breaking lines Inaga's single touch had created.
What kind of bizarre power is this? Netami asked himself. Suddenly, the tree exploded with a blast of wind from nowhere! Chunks of wood floated at Netami, then flew harmlessly past him as dust and shrapnel. Once the dust cleared, Netami had to take a step back and groan with surprise. "This...what is this!?" he exclaimed.
"It is me!" Inaga said. In a single touch he had forced the wood of the tree into a carved statue of a handsome, wide-jawed young man with hair cut close to the scalp. One hand at the base of his spine, pushing his body up in a proud and boastful posture, the other hand at the chest with fingers lightly pressed on the brilliantly cut muscles under the shinigami garb he wore. A long sword was sheathed at his side, the hand guard formed with seven interlocked and overlapping thin bands. His face, beyond being handsome, had an inhuman sageness to it. He looked like a man with more answers than words he knew, a man filled to the brim with arcane charisma. "Granted, that was me a few hundred years ago, but it is me nonetheless!" Netami was shocked, and when he was shocked he expressed it with disgust and anger.
"What is this mockery!?" Netami demanded. "Why do you toy with me!? You know I will win. If you know the name of my sword just from contact and its abilities, then you must also know the limits that I can push to kill you!"
"That I do" Inaga said, "but you have no idea just how much power I truly possess." Netami shut his teeth together in silence. The old man had a point. "I did that elegant and handsome sculpture with only one finger. Imagine what would happen if I decided to hit you!" Netami suddenly decided the fight was over. He sheathed his sword with a quick spin that kicked up the snow and dirt from all around. He then glared through his black hair with his dangerous eyes at the ancient smiling man before him.
"Uh..." Horoshi grunted. He noticed his sword was already sheathed, no doubt the work of that old man somehow. "I guess...we'll concede for now."
"Will you not tell me" Netami growled "just what I want to know?"
"I may" Inaga said noncommittally. "You must first agree to listen to me."
"Very well" Netami said. He walked forward and stopped himself when he was at eye level with the small man on the steps above. "What do you have to say?"
"I'd like" Inaga began "to tell you my entire life story if I could. It's been a while since anyone stuck around long enough to listen." Netami glared seriously for a few seconds, then gave in with a heaving sigh. He drew out his sheathed sword of black-ringed grip and mysteriously patterned guard and sat next to the old man, using his own sword as a cane to keep his chin propped up. Inaga smiled nicely and sat down. "It all started nearly a millennium ago..." and with that start Netami gave an impatient sigh. It would take a long time, surely, but he would get what he wanted...
The location of Shin Kenpachi.
