Author's Note
Here's chapter two! I might be updating pretty fast on this since I'm not very busy this week. I'll be flying back to the US this Sunday and I'll start a new fic then. Maybe I'll be done with this one by then. I may post some of my sketches of Tsubaki so you can seen my image of her.
Some translations for the story so far. Tsubaki means Camellia and is one of my favorite flowers(also my namesake). Hageshi no Shisa is a semi accurate translation of Vicious Guardian Lion-Dog. Shisa are dog-lion creatures that are said to repeal evil spirits and keep good ones in. Some homes(including my own) have statues of these creatures by the front doors. I think Shisa are a good representation of Tsubaki's personality. Big and scary but meant to protect and even attract good things.
As usual, please leave some reviews and any suggestions. I already have two and would like to thank Hylla and Squalo King for them!
The Eleventh Division barracks were unusually quiet as morning broke. Perhaps it was due to the copious amounts of alcohol consumed last night or the amount of members stuck in the Fourth's medical ward. Either way Tsubaki was grateful for a relaxing morning. She stretched up from her futon and yawned widely. There was nothing better than working out the kinks in her back while listening to the soft morning sounds outside.
Going through her morning routine, which included applying copious amounts of eye liner and creating a messy braid, Tsubaki dressed and grabbed her Zanpakuto, Hageshi no Shisa. He greeted her with a soft growl that echoed in her head. Since they were both head strong and fierce, she had struggled to achieve Shinkai but had managed it somehow. He was hard to read and sometimes would refuse her when it amused him. Personally, Tsubaki thought he was a little shit. This may say something about Tsubaki though.
She walked the long hallways of the barracks which lead to the gates into the common paths of Seireitei. It was a free day for her. She had beaten another division member in a fight and made him take her weekend duties.
All she wanted to do was maybe find something to eat and do a little window shopping in the markets that were scattered throughout Seireitei. There were rumors of a new stall that sold red bean cakes. Those were her favorite.
Other Shinigami were roaming the streets and meeting up with friends on their day off. Seireitei's streets were less full than usual. Tsubaki fell into a sort of relaxed wander, just listening to the chatter. Of course this was when her day was interrupted.
Passing an alley, she glanced over when she heard some familiar voices.
She was greeted with the sight of five Eleventh members picking on some Fourth members. They were probably on some errand since they held bundles to their chests. Looking a bit closer she recognized the face of that cute healer, Hanataro was it?
"Oi! Whatcha doing?" She called out to the large fighters, already in a foul mood since her red bean treats were now delayed. If there were none left, she would make these idiots regret it.
Her division members turned to her and smirked when they recognized the ill-tempered woman. Almost everyone in her division knew of her or at least her physical description.
"Hey, if it isn't the lady! Move on, we're just talking to these weaklings," The tallest of the bunch, and also the ugliest, called out to her. "Yeah, just a little fun!" The others agreed and eyed the shaking healers.
While Tsubaki loved fighting and challenging herself, she didn't think much of harassing those weaker than herself. It was one thing if the small looking Fourth division healers had picked a fight but she doubted that was the case. These Eleventh punks were just weaklings themselves if they were getting their kicks from hurting people that couldn't defend themselves.
And it wasn't like she wanted to look cool for that cute healer! She had some morals!
"Not today boys, get yer asses back to the division," she'd warn them off first and then let them pick a fight with her if they wanted. She'd whip some sense into them.
The big idiot grunted at her, seemingly threatened by a woman ordering him around. Wrong step one: Thinking less of Tsubaki because she was female. Then he riled up his buddies mouthing off some nonsense about how he would 'do what he wanted'. Like she cared. Ugly came at her with his arms swinging. Wrong step two: Throwing a punch at someone who was both faster and stronger than you. Tsubaki caught the punch with her hand. That had Ugly shocked and gave her the opening she needed.
Tsubaki threw her own punch into his gut and threw him back into his buddies. They reacted like any other Eleventh member by rushing at her with swords drawn. Not bothering to draw Shisa, she swung the sheathed sword at the men. Slowly by surely she took them down. They weren't much of a fight like she predicted. Standing over the unconscious bodies, Tsubaki turned to the awestruck group of healers.
There were three healers staring at her, not quite believing that this scary looking woman had saved them. And without drawing her sword either!
Hanataro was the first to break out of his shock. "Thank you, Tsubaki san!" He scrabbled over to her, almost tripping on Ugly. Of course, Tsubaki caught him by the shoulder.
"It's nothing. Don't go thinking I'm nice or something," she glared over at the other two healers and tried not to blush at the attention.
"We appreciate it none the less. Oh, you're hurt," Hanataro was close enough to see a bleeding cut that ran down Tsubaki's toned arm. "H-here." He placed a kido glowing hand on her upper arm.
That lead to Tsubaki death glaring at anywhere but Hanataro and watching the gash on her arm seal up from the corner of her eye. Afterwards, she escorted the three out of the alley and towards the Fourth, saying something about heading that way. She thought back sadly to her day off and her missed treats.
Arriving at the front gates, Hanataro turned to Tsubaki and thanked her once more. "Take this as a reward." He pulled out a white paper bag from the ever-present backpack all healers carried. The three bowed to her and scurried off. Tsubaki stood for a bit at the gate with her hand clenched around the bag. Not because she was happy or anything! Just thinking!
When she arrived back at the barracks, she managed to avoid the prying questions of Yumichika, who still hadn't bought her excuses about her behavior. Settling down on the floor, she peered into the paper bag. There sat three of the red bean cakes she had sought out earlier. Shisa's soft laugh echoed in her skull, chortling about her luck and witless boys. She hushed him and began to eat the gone cold sweets.
If you have passed by Tsubaki's window at that moment, you would have seen a blushing young woman glaring at a paper bag and mumbling about cute healers that she needed to avoid.