Touched
Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.
A/N: Over 100 reviews! *Fist pump* Thanks so much for being so patient and sticking with this story. I have great things in mind for it but sometimes getting it onto the page the way I want can be a challenge. Many thanks to Nasha Rei-Kun, kiwi4me, Jmamill, Prenumbra, hornyzombie, 1dmp2, YellowWomanontheBrink, jesi ki kage, Marie Darkholme, KatzeNoel and batla for their kind reviews of the previous chapter. This one's for you guys!
Okay, we last left off with Keigo accidentally blowing the whistle on Ichigo and Tatsuki's secret relationship. Who wants to see the aftermath of that little reveal? You do?! Well then, read on…
Chapter 11: Defiant
The common area of Shiba Inn, following the discovery…
Ichigo and Tatsuki sat silently at opposite ends of one of the common room's couches like two small children called in to the principal's office. Ichigo wasn't about to stare meekly at his feet but he also didn't feel quite bold enough to look directly at Tatsuki. So instead he watched his sensei as she slowly paced the space in front of them.
Yoruichi was entirely too quiet. Periodically she would glance up at them, eyes drifting like a largo metronome between the two. But then the pacing would resume. Ichigo didn't know how long they'd been like that but he'd passed 'anxious' about ten minutes ago and was now officially bored. He just couldn't bring himself to feel bad about the situation…
…Not when being with Tatsuki felt so right. His gut just felt so certain about her, and so far his gut had never let him down. Seated on his left, the girl was just within his peripheral sight and he hazarded a glance. Her back was rigid and her eyes were forward, ears perked as if anticipating an imminent order or reprimand. He noticed the strong motionless set of her form and had to admire the discipline years of martial arts training had undoubtedly instilled in her. It was training he'd only benefited marginally from and he found himself regretting quitting all those years ago. Perhaps it would have made him a better Shinigami, a better soldier.
But he was who he was, disciplinary flaws and all. He argued to himself that he'd never been one for following orders- how could anyone expect him to start now? And he'd thought about how this was going to go, how this conversation would eventually play out- with him in some horribly compromising position as Yoruichi interrogated him with questions like 'And just how long has this been going on?' with his reply being something along the lines of, 'Almost immediately after you told me not to, sensei.'
The wait was agonizing; he hoped she'd do something, just so he had something to react to. As if anticipating his thoughts, the plum-haired woman finally spoke, "This newest development is…" She eyed each of them in turn before finishing, "…disappointing."
When Ichigo opened his mouth to protest she held up a single finger, effectively halting him. "I'm not interested in any excuses or explanations- you're teenagers, for God's sake. Breaking rules seems to be an ingrained part of human puberty. However, nothing you say changes the fact that what is done cannot be undone."
He watched Tatsuki pale visibly as she swallowed hard. He was reminded of the first time he'd been on the receiving end of one of Yoruichi's tirades, remembering how shit-scared he'd been of the shape-shifting former captain. He fought the natural urge to reach a hand for hers- he knew she wouldn't take it, didn't need it. Instead her sharp brown eyes remained stubbornly frontward, jaw set as if ready to take a blow.
Hoping to deflect some of the focus from her, he asked, "So then why are we here? I already know you think I screwed up." Under the pacing woman's narrowed glare, he added defiantly, "I'll handle it."
"Handle it?!" She suddenly stopped, utter disbelief on her face. "What in the Thirteen Courts makes you think this is a situation you could even begin to 'handle' on your own? You defied a direct order from Captain Unohana regarding a perceived threat to the Shinigami!-"
He interjected, "-She's not a threat!"
But she quickly squashed his line of thinking, "It doesn't matter! It's what they believe! After what you've learned about the Central 46 are you planning on thumbing your nose and telling them to just 'Deal with it'? Is that your plan? Hmm?!"
He blinked, faltering, "Well… no, but-"
She huffed audibly, "While I am perfectly content to let you wander your way into and out of your own messes, Ichigo, I am not about to let you drag an innocent human into this with you. Arisawa does not have your power or reputation to bolster her- no offense-" the last part was spoken directly to a bewildered Tatsuki before the woman zeroed in on her student again, "Can you guarantee her safety in all of this?"
His eyes suddenly flew to Tatsuki whom he noticed was finally starting to whither. Shit. He hadn't really considered her role in all of this. His confidence was faltering- suddenly he wasn't entirely certain of his ability to protect her if things started to go sideways. A familiar twinge of anxiety twisted deep in his chest.
"I didn't-" he began to admit but then cut himself off. Huffing in defeat he finally asked in an equal mix of frustration and pleading, "Then what the hell am I supposed to do, Yoruichi?! This is all my fault! Again!"
At his words she paused, her entire demeanor suddenly softening. Tilting her head she eyed him more like a cat than a human, "You mistake me, Ichigo."
He blinked in surprise as she explained, "My intentions are not to chastise you for essentially falling prey to the same emotions young people have been surrendering to for millennia. While I did have my hopes that you would at least try to head my warnings, I'll admit that ultimately my expectations were low. You are nothing if not reliably and spectacularly reckless (again, I blame your youth)…" the sardonic purse to her lips was almost humorous.
Ichigo scrunched his brow, confused, "But… I thought you were here to yell at us…"
At that the dark-skinned woman crossed her arms moodily, "I swear- some days I think you believe that my entire existence is for the sole purpose of nagging you. But no; my greatest concern has always been the safety and protection of Arisawa and your other friends. That hasn't changed, even though you seem dead set on making things more difficult at every turn."
At that Arisawa finally spoke, though in perhaps the quietest voice Ichigo had heard from her, "I'm sorry, Shihoin-san. I should accept my fair share of the blame in this. It's not Ichigo's fault…"
Ichigo figured that, given the circumstances, making eye contact with the former captain was the bravest thing he'd seen Tatsuki do. The young girl's eyes were bright and shining as she looked steadfastly at his sensei, but he knew no tears would fall.
Yoruichi seemed to notice this as well, "Dear girl… You're a lovely little thing, aren't you? And strong, too, from what I see. And so much more. It's not difficult to see why he chose you…" As Tatsuki flushed in embarrassment Yoruichi gave a smirky smile to her student, "I quite like this one, Ichigo."
In a blink she was serious again as she continued, "We may have to change the way we deal with the Council from here on out. Do not ask them to measure the worth of the life of a single human girl against that of even the lowest Shinigami in Seireitei- I'm afraid you won't like the answer."
Ichigo found himself nodding, finally grasping her message, "I see…"
"And it will be important now more than ever- Hanataro's replacement is due to arrive any time now and I have a feeling they will not be as… accommodating as their predecessor. Unohana-taicho will likely send someone affiliated with Squad 12; We'll have to be careful about the information revealed to this person given their probable affiliation with Kurotsuchi-taicho."
Ichigo nodded, "Yeah, I get it. So what does that mean? You told me earlier that you couldn't explain it but I think you'd better try."
Yoruichi raised a dark eyebrow at him, "It means there can be no more surprises. I need to know everything. Now."
He balked, "Everything?!"
"Yes everything. Think of me like a lawyer- I'm not required to divulge all the facts of the case, however I certainly cannot defend a position if I don't know all of the circumstances."
"We'll tell you everything you want to know, Shihoin-san," Tatsuki murmured with surprising conviction.
The woman seemed pleased, "Good, because the devil lies in the details and I'm not in the mood for any more ambushes. So…" and suddenly Ichigo saw a strangely familiar guile creep into the dark woman's face as she dropped all too comfortably on the facing sofa, pulling her knees up like it was a slumber party, "…Who kissed whom?"
Tatsuki finally squeaked.
In the kitchen…
When Uryu entered the room he found Sado sitting at the long table, massive elbows propped on its hard surface as the large boy steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. The one eye not covered by his bangs settled on the Quincy and Uryu knew…
…He wanted to talk. The irony of this was not lost on him- everyone knew Sado was a man of few words. He took a seat across from the giant and waited.
"What you said to Ichigo at the bottom of the stairs…" the large teen lowered his arms to rest his gently clasped hands on the table, "…You knew, didn't you?"
The Quincy replied, "I had a strong suspicion."
Sado nodded subconsciously, "I think I know how. From Arisawa." He watched his spectacled friend as he spoke quietly, "Lately she's needed more. You must have noticed because even I noticed, though I don't think she does."
Uryu nodded back, "I've noticed." He thought for a moment before continuing, "And I agree. I don't think she realizes what she's doing. I'm not certain if her ability to absorb reiatsu has simply grown stronger without her knowledge or if she truly requires more to sustain herself. It might be a combination of the two. It would have been something I would have brought up to Hanataro were he still here."
Sado seemed to relax a little at this, "I wanted to tell someone, too, but wasn't sure who. I didn't want to mention it to her- she seems frightened enough by her condition as it is. But perhaps this is something Yoruichi-san should be made aware of…"
"Yes, I'm afraid you're right; this is something she should know." He frowned at his next thought, "We may need to mention it to Inoue as well- I have a feeling that she participated in their little ruse, allowing Ichigo to charge Arisawa in her place. She may not be aware of Arisawa's higher energy requirements."
The giant lowered his voice for his next question, "Ishida, do you think it's happening because of Ichigo? Because of their contact?"
Uryu sighed, "We can't be certain. However, it certainly seems more than a coincidence that Arisawa's ability to absorb energy increased shortly after contact with the person with the most reiatsu among us. I'd say the likelihood of a correlation is too significant to ignore."
Sado nodded again, "So we should tell Yoruichi…"
"…And warn Inoue, yes. Discretely."
Even Sado couldn't help rolling his eyes- did the quiet giant do things any other way? Uryu found himself chuckling, mind eased now that they were in agreement. Still, the large man shook his head, "Ichigo and Tatsuki… It certainly took them long enough." Uryu noted how his voice seemed to grow softer as if recalling a memory. "Back when Ichigo and I first became friends I saw it- how close they were- even when they didn't. But then it never happen; I figured they'd missed their chance. Guess it only took them a few more years…"
The Quincy found himself nodding again, "…And a trip to another dimension. And a rainstorm, I suspect." When Sado quirked his one visible eye Uryu added, "It's funny… You asked if it was Arisawa that gave them away to me. It wasn't."
The large teen's confusion deepened, "No? Then Ichigo?"
The Quincy sighed again, "Sharing a room with him and Mizuiro has been more than a little enlightening. He was very restless when we first arrived, to the point I wondered if he was sleeping at all. However, over the last few days he's calmed noticeably; he's seemed far less tortured but certainly more secretive…"
Sado raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed by the deduction until Uryu eventually flushed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "…Um, that… and the fact that Kurosaki mutters in his sleep…"
Back in the common area…
For an hour Ichigo and Tatsuki sat recounting the events leading up to their relationship to a ridiculously attentive Yoruichi, starting with Tatsuki's attempted abduction and ending with Keigo's clamorous trip down the stairs. Both teens noted the woman's rapt attention as well as her obvious glee at hearing the details of their story unfold. Tatsuki seemed to let her guard down a little more as the time passed.
When Yoruichi finally took her leave it was with an unshakeable smile; Ichigo could have sworn that right before the woman left she was resisting the urge to hug his new girlfriend…
Girlfriend. Was that what Tatsuki was? If so, then she was his first one. Slaying ghost monsters and crossing dimensions he could handle, but a girlfriend? Admittedly he was out of his element in that respect. He chuckled at his luck- he didn't have a clue how to be a boyfriend, but somehow he knew he could be her boyfriend… For Tatsuki, all he had to be was himself.
"And just what are you laughing about, chuckles?" Tatsuki asked, drawing his attention. After his sensei had left the girl had finally completely relaxed and had scooted next to him on the sofa. Even with their secret now revealed, she still wouldn't let him touch her in the presence of others- they hadn't even touched in front of Orihime.
But they were alone now. Seizing an opportunity, he grabbed her legs and tugged them into his lap as he answered, "Just thinking that that went way better than I would've thought." Then he pulled her closer until the bottoms of her thighs were crossed over the tops of his.
She laughed at his affectionate gesture but quickly acquiesced, sinking comfortably against him and tucking her shoulder neatly into his as though they'd been fit like a puzzle, "I'll agree with you on that one. Your boss lady is both creepy and scary."
He wrapped an arm behind her and gave her side a squeeze, "Yeah, she is, but you didn't look scared at all. You were so brave! Trust me, I know."
She chuckled sadly, staring at her knees, "Pshh! I didn't feel brave. I thought I was gonna pee my pants at first. But I guess we all do what we have to." She sighed heavily, shrugging against him.
He shook his head. "You know, I was ready to take responsibility for what happened in the storm. I can't believe you told her that you kissed me!" and he delighted when her mischievous smile returned.
"Well, I did! Technically I kissed you first."
"But that was before Spirit World- it doesn't count," he argued, determined to make a point.
The feel of her hand clasping the front of his shirt dragged his eyes back to her, the mesmeric little smile playing across her lips beguiling him as she replied, "Oh really? Your face didn't look like it didn't count."
Instantly he was lost in that smile, in her dark dancing eyes. His train of thought abandoned, he simply muttered, "You're amazing…"
Surprised by his words she blinked up at him, head quirking to the side, "No, you're just easily impressed." Using her hold on his shirt she pulled him closer, but stopped just before making contact.
He'd closed his eyes in anticipation, so eager that he was still slightly surprised when he heard and felt her familiar whisper against his lips, "Um… Can I?-" He answered by quickly closing the distance himself, claiming the kiss she'd been asking for.
It was always there- an electrical sort of spark that shocked pleasantly through his body, humming through his veins, pulsing with an energy that felt uniquely like the girl whom he was rapidly falling for. She was quickly becoming a high he was all too happy to chase; he vaguely wondered if this was what addiction felt like. Except he couldn't find a down side to Tatsuki.
When she broke the kiss her eyes remained closed as though she was lingering on the hypnotic sensation. "This is…" she sighed heavily, "…kinda perfect."
However, Ichigo couldn't help but note the hint of sadness in her voice. He lowered his gaze to her face, eying her suspiciously, "Well, don't sound so excited about it…"
"No, I just mean-" She cut herself off, thinking of how to explain, "This… thing… with us. It's more than… I mean, it's better than… It's really good," she finally mumbled out.
He chuckled, "Of course it's good. Are you surprised?"
She rolled her eyes, "Well, yeah! A little! I never thought…" he raised an eyebrow as he watched her blush across her nose, "…that we could ever have this. That I could ever have this. I just wish it could last…"
Her words instantly puzzled him, "Why can't it?" A dark doubt suddenly curled in his stomach.
Her voice softened, almost as if she were afraid to say her feelings aloud, "…Because stuff this good doesn't happen to me. I'm not naïve enough to think that this can last. Life always ends up screwing me over."
"Good thing we're in the afterlife then," he replied without missing a beat, hoping to lighten things. He didn't want to think of the small ring of truth her words carried.
She punched him in the chest only partly playfully, "I'm serious! Haven't you ever been in a situation where you just knew it was too good to last?" Her face grew somber as she stared up at him.
He shook his head, his fingers stroking across the thin material covering her knee, "Only every day, Tats. I feel like I've been waiting half my teenage life for the other shoe to drop. I've got everybody telling me how strong and unique I am… But to me it means that it's only a matter of time before someone stronger and more unique come to challenge that. That's why I'm glad we're here now. I know I don't deserve this, don't deserve to be as happy as I've been here with you these past few days-"
There was a quiet desperation in her voice as she cut him off, "-But Ichigo you know it can't last forever; Now that our secret is out they'll be lining up to pull us apart."
He actually snorted. "Not to brag, Tats, but I don't know of any force in this world- or any world- that could keep me away from you now that I have you. But even if it all falls apart tomorrow… we're here now. And to me this moment feels like forever…"
He was dead serious, and as Tatsuki's eyes scanned his face she looked about as surprised and embarrassed as he'd ever seen her. Finding the reassurance she needed from him, she finally exhaled a shaky breath, tension ebbing as she cuddled closer pillowing her head on his chest.
"Jeez that was cheesy," she groused, and he could hear the smirk in her voice. He smiled to himself, resting his chin on the top of her head. It didn't matter- none of it mattered when they were like this. He heard her ask wistfully, "So when did you get so good with words anyway, Ichigo?"
He shrugged, chuckling, "Shit, I don't know," and she laughed- a genuine carefree laugh that brought a calming peace to his heart. To his delight he felt her wrap her free arm around his torso. In response he snuck his fingers under the hem of her shirt to rest them against the skin at her waist.
His brain was reeling, and before he knew it he'd blurted out, "Keigo scared the shit out of me."
"Mmm, why?" she slowly asked, a lazy tone in her voice.
"Because I thought someone had come to hurt you. I'd snuck in your room; no one was supposed to know I was there. You were supposed to be alone." His hands against her firmed as he admitted this fear.
"Mmm… I can take care of myself," she replied sleepily against his shirt.
"I know," he lied. He couldn't see burdening her with the knowledge of what might truly be out there. Reflexively he kissed the top of her head. Then he smiled into her hair as his brain switched gears, "But I'm glad he found us."
He hadn't been aware he'd been listening to her breathing pattern until she stopped. "Um… why is that?" She asked stiffly.
"Because now our friends know about us. I didn't like lying to them about how I feel about you. I'm glad they all know now."
To his surprise, Tatsuki's arm around him tightened in an odd sort of squeeze as she muttered a single word, "Idiot…" Then she relaxed against him as if nothing had happened. Still, though he couldn't be sure, he thought he felt his shirt dampen beneath her cheek.
Renji stood in the doorway of the inn's common room, openly watching the two oblivious teens cuddled quietly on one of the sofas. Just days earlier he'd secretly witnessed a similar scene. Except now the difference- the contact- changed everything. Ok, so maybe I was wrong… sort of…
So their greatest asset had directly defied an order from one of the preeminent Captains of the Gotei 13, and by extension the entire Central 46. It could be worse, though at the moment I'm at a loss as to how…
Nothing came to mind, short of a thousand Menos Grandes suddenly falling from the sky. Scratch that- he was pretty sure even that would be small potatoes compared to Kurosaki's impulsive stunt. Not that he could really blame the kid- Renji could recall performing his own fair share of stupid in his youth for the affections of a girl…
And under the circumstances he could see why the kid had fallen so hard- the tough little fighter seemed tailor-made for his brash and impetuous friend. Smart, brave, and certainly not hard on the eyes, Renji still remembered the surprising decking the little girl had dished him at Urahara's. Not bad, Ichigo; she might be a keeper…
A presence behind him brought Renji back; recognizing his companion he winced. Better get it over with… Sighing heavily, he muttered, "So do you wanna say it now or are you gonna let the circumstances speak for themselves?"
"Why voice what is evident? I'm not a fan of redundancy," Rukia quietly replied.
Renji nodded slowly to himself, "Alright then. Any idea what's next since you called it?"
"We'll just have to wait a bit longer for more of the facts to play out, I think."
"Yeah, ok…"
He felt her begin to walk away before she paused, "Hey Renji?"
"Yeah, Rukia?" Here it comes…
"I told you so." And she disappeared.
Yeah ya did.
The next morning…
As if beckoned by mere mention, Hanataro's replacement arrived from Seireitei the following morning. To Tatsuki's dismay Ichigo had openly frowned at the site of an austere young woman, introduced to her as the Vice-Captain from the infamous 12th Division. Kurotsuchi Nemu- part of her name sounded familiar, though Tatsuki couldn't place it.
At her arrival the entire atmosphere of the Inn seemed to change. The Shinigami seemed to stand more formally, though she was certain that at least one of them- Abarai, she thought- was of the same rank as this woman. Uryu, Sado and Orihime had assembled around her like bodyguards and Ichigo placed himself in front of the whole party during formal introductions. Yoruichi was cool and distant. It all gave Tatsuki the sense that this woman was perhaps dangerous; at the very least she surmised she could not trust her.
Odd since she appeared normal enough- young, like Rukia (though she was learning that with the Shinigami looks could be deceiving in the age department), with long black hair and dull eyes. She seemed to have only one facial expression- one of flat disinterest- and Tatsuki wondered if the woman was reluctant to be here in the first place.
Her friends were loath to leave her with the Vice-Captain, however the situation seemed to be beyond anyone's control. Everyone exchanged meaningful glances with her before departing, of which the woman appeared oblivious. Ichigo seemed to be radiating tension and had to be forcefully pushed out by a scowling Rukia. Yoruichi, the last to leave, gave the girl a tight smile, but the helpless anxiety in her eyes haunted Tatsuki long after she'd gone.
"Sit down," the woman commanded as soon as the two were alone in the common room. Startled by her bluntness, Tatsuki sank obediently onto the nearest sofa; suddenly she seemed to notice that not only did this expansive room have several large doors but that they were all closed for the first time since her arrival.
Vice-Captain Kurostuchi then produced a thick bound report and opened it to one of the first pages. "You are Arisawa Tatsuki, 16 years of age, born July 17th, of Karakura Town, Japan. Is that correct?" the woman asked.
Blinking for a second, the young girl eventually both nodded and spoke her answer, "Yes."
"You are an acquaintance of Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. Ten days ago you were among the party that traveled to the Spirit World through a Senkaimon created by exiled former Captain Urahara Kisuke, under a Temporary Order of Asylum, now expired."
"Yes…" Tatsuki found the direction of this one-sided conversation highly redundant.
The woman was no longer reading the report as she spoke, "This Order was submitted based upon a supposed attempted abduction of you and two additional acquaintances of Kurosaki-san by Arrancar sent from Hueco Mundo."
At that Tatsuki bristled, "…Supposedly? Is there doubt that I was snatched off the street and nearly dragged through a giant hole in the sky by an evil fanged monster?"
"The reports have thus far proven unverifiable," the woman stated simply.
"Well, I'd be happy to verify for you and your bosses exactly what happened before I came to this place…" the girl offered icily. It had taken only a span of mere moments for Tatsuki to begin forming her own opinion of this new visitor. She was starting to see what the others had been hinting at.
The Vice-Captain only replied, "Your personal accounts are entirely unnecessary and irrelevant at this time; however your offer of clarification is appreciated, as is your compliance to this examination. The primary purpose of my presence here is to continue the investigation into the development of your unclassified condition."
"You mean the condition where I lose reiatsu to the air and my friends have to replenish it to keep me alive?" Tatsuki inquired glibly.
"Yes. Preliminary reports indicate that as compensation you are able to absorb the reiatsu of other spirit beings simply through touch. Such an ability poses a potential threat to all Shinigami; I have been tasked with the duty of fully investigating this threat."
Tatsuki fought the urge to roll her eyes, "You know, I'm finding it pretty ridiculous that you all think of me as a threat. I hope you won't overlook the part where I'd probably die if not for this 'ability' as you call it."
Kurotsuchi did not seem the least off-put but her comment, "All the more reason to gain full knowledge of your ability. A Shinigami's power is wielded during combat and in situations of danger; they maintain singular control over their powers. Conversely, your acquisition of your ability is new and uncertain. Yet your immediate survival depends upon your ability to replenish your reiatsu, and unlike a Shinigami you are unable to suppress or control it." The young woman looked her dead in the eye, face expressionless as she finished, "This makes you a threat to all spirit beings, the severity of which will be determined by your capacity to absorb reiatsu. Thus you are an inherent enemy to this world."
Tatsuki blinked, stunned; the woman's immediate candor was shocking. Slowly it was becoming apparent that, though Kurotsuchi's words were appropriate enough, albeit blunt, her body and face demonstrated no corresponding emotion- no smiles or frowns, no confused head tilt or sympathetic nod. Something was definitely off about this woman…
Suppressing the urge to ball her fists, Tatsuki murmured, "It sounds like you've already passed judgment on me. So what's the point of even doing this exam?"
"In such a situation as this a threat assessment is necessary to determine what countermeasures may be required for neutralization."
Tatsuki instantly paled, "Neutralization? Oh, awesome. As in assessing when and how you might need to kill me?" Keeping her voice even and calm was almost impossible.
"Not if you are as benign as you claim. Your questions delay us. I will answer any others you may have but at this juncture it is imperative that we move forward with the examination. Do you have any objections?"
"Am I allowed to have any objections?" Tatsuki quipped.
The Vice-Captain's tone never wavered, "Refusal to participate in the examination would constitute a Declaration of War against the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…"
"Crap," she huffed. Collecting her wits, Tatsuki took a calming breath and bolstered herself, "Yeah, no objections then. Let's just get this over with. Where do we start?"
Glancing down once again at the report in her lap, Kurotsuchi Nemu flipped a few pages before answering, "I must examine the logs of your charges firsthand. Officer Yamada's entries are incomplete for the preceding four days. Please present them."
Tatsuki fumbled for the small log book she'd been given by Hanataro, which she found she'd been sitting on. Handing it over gingerly she apologized, "I… haven't been logging for the past few days. After Hanataro left, I guess I kinda… slacked off…" Her stomach sank a little as she spoke.
Taking the book, Nemu flipped to the final few entries and compared them to her report. "Unacceptable. I must have a full array of data upon which to base all calculations. Maximal variables must be considered."
"I'm sorry! I didn't realize how important it was. I suppose I could guess…"
At that the woman raised her eyes from the report to Tatsuki, and unreadable stare locking her gaze. Despite the lack of emotion expressed Tatsuki imagined that this was as close to incredulity as this woman could get. "Guessing is unacceptable. Measures must be precise."
Tatsuki nodded vigorously, "Right. I'm sorry. I'll log everything from now on. Please don't write that down as an act of war."
The woman paused, then looked back at the report. "It cannot be helped. We will extrapolate the missing data from your future entries." Then she flipped a few more pages. "Your medical history is incomplete. I require additional information from you."
Tatsuki immediately recalled the ceaseless questions Hanataro had barraged her with and inwardly groaned; she couldn't think of a single thing about herself she hadn't told the inquisitive medic. "You mean it's not all in your report there? Hanataro was very thorough-"
"We will begin with your onset of menarchy."
"What?!" Tatsuki sputtered. Hanataro had not asked that particular question.
"I shall clarify- at what age did you begin menstruating?"
"I know what it means! Do you really need to know that?!"
"It is essential to the completion of your medical record. Such data must be included when calculating your physiologic profile."
Pushing down her embarrassment at such a personal question she rolled her eyes again, "Fine… I was thirteen… and a half." When the woman looked up at her pointedly Tatsuki offered an explanation, "I did martial arts- my mom said it put it off because I trained so hard."
"Do you not recall the date?"
Tatsuki frowned, "No, I do not recall the date. I recall that my dad had to pick me up from practice and take me to the drug store. It was so embarrassing. It was some time after the Spring Tournament…" When the woman continued to stare Tatsuki groused, "Spring! April! That's all I got."
The woman jotted in the margins of the report, "That will have to do. Next question: At what age did you first have intercourse?"
Tatsuki's cheeks instantly colored pink, "Okay I know you're making that one up! Why in the world would you need to know that?!"
Nemu didn't even blink. "Are you refusing to answer?"
"No…" a guarded Tatsuki replied. "It's just a stupid question! I haven't had… 'intercourse' yet. I'm only sixteen."
"Interesting…" Nemu stated, though Tatsuki doubted her sincerity. She wasn't certain how 'threat assessment' had evolved to 'first sexual encounter' but her patience was growing thin.
"In that case we will move on to the next question: Do you consider yourself heterosexual or homosexual?"
Tatsuki threw her hands up, "Oh, for the love of… Look, Vice-Captain Kurotsuchi, I'm not trying to declare war but are these personal questions really necessary?! I thought the Gotei 13 was concerned about my condition. Your questions make me think they're just a bunch of pervs delving into stuff that's none of their business! If you want to ask me probing questions for your research I understand that; I'm as curious to find out what's going on with me as anyone. But I gotta draw the line somewhere… my sex life- or lack thereof- is off limits!"
As the young girl settled down she finally noticed that her interviewer had been passively staring at her for her entire rant. Suddenly uncomfortable, Tatsuki crossed her arms over her chest and sat back against the sofa, staring back at the woman, waiting for her to make the next move.
"Very well," Nemu said, finally breaking eye contact. "I will deem such data nonessential so that we may move on to more pressing matters."
"Thanks. Feel free to ask me my favorite color or what dish I cook the best…"
"I do not understand. Such questions are irrelevant to this investigation."
Tatsuki freely rolled her eyes again, a gesture she now realized was completely lost on her interviewer. "Then what's on your list there? That's not off limits?"
Nemu paused, looked down to scan the report in her lap, flipped two entire pages and then asked, "What types of animals have you had as pets?"
Tatsuki merely huffed and threw her head back against the sofa so she could stare up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long afternoon.
A/N: An odd chapter, I know. I actually sat on it for a few extra weeks because the last section with Nemu proved harder than I thought- I wanted to portray her as almost robotic but in a somewhat humorous way despite the seriousness of the situation. That and I've heard she's a closet perv, haha! So anyway I couldn't sit on it forever so here ya go. It seems I can't avoid the mushy stuff- it just keeps sneaking back in! But I'm excited for the next chapter because fun things are going to happen! So stay tuned, and please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Til next time :)