Supernova
By Willow Athena
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of its characters, but Rien is definitely mine, as is this story.
Author's Note: This chapter is 10 months after their escape. If you have the time, I think chapter 10, 11, and 12 should be read in one go, to make the most sense…just a suggestion – I know it's a big chunk.
Oh, I should also probably warn people about the language usage towards the end of this chapter. The 'F' word is used…a few times.
Chapter 11- Flash Blossom
In her training session with Kisuke one afternoon, Rien was plagued by something she had noticed at university. Now that she could read his movements, after months of training with him, she knew when Kisuke was going easy on her. Working towards a personal goal now, to be able to protect herself from hollows, she was serious about training, and Kisuke was going to pay for his hobo-attitude today.
The wheel of time had cycled to summer once more, and the training ground under Urahara's shop was hotter than normal. Rien's skin was cold to the touch, not from sweat, but just because that's the way it always was. The hot wind blew Rien's short, pleated, lilac skirt. She wore a wore a tight black halter top, similar to Yoruichi's, as she found that less clothes produced less drag when trying to successfully pull off this move.
Summer was her favourite season, she had come to realise. It was the only season in which she did not have to bundle herself like an Eskimo. Rien was constantly, unnaturally cold – it was consistent with the shallowness of her pulse, Ishida had observed to Rien once, she then joked in response, "It beats so slowly, as though it has all the time in the world," to which they both nervously laughed, as Ishida's carefully documented list of odd-Rien-related-things grew.
Kisuke and Yoruichi were excellent teachers, and noticed Rien's inclination towards perfection, her almost obsession with mastering every move she learnt. They assessed her to be extremely intelligent, and a brilliant tactician when it came to battle. She would frequently use her limited skill to cripple her opponent or put them on the back foot before striking. Although her power was insignificant compared to her friends, she would never easily be beaten. Rien was distracted today, she wondered if she should attempt the move at all. She could hear Rukia struggle in her battle with Renji a short distance away.
Ishida's tutoring in sensing reiatsu was invaluable to Rien. When in trouble, which seemed a daily routine for her, she could easily sense her friends, though they could still not sense her. She would quickly pick out Ishida's blue spirit thread, or Renji, Rukia, or Ichigo's red, and immediately shunpo to them if she needed assistance with a hollow. Being able to sense reiatsu, also helped her gauge when, or from where her opponent would attack.
Rien finally gave in to her curiosity. "I see it all the time at university – why do men always lie about being in control in their relationships?" Rien asked, as she struggled to parry one of Kisuke's blows. She really shouldn't fight when she's distracted, she thought. Unlike her or Ishida, most people seemed to use university as a social event, where dramas would unfold as people moved from one relationship to the next. Rien had heard many guys boast about their conquests of one girl or the next, and refute being 'pussy-whipped', whatever that meant, when in a relationship with a girl they cared about. She had wanted to ask Ishida about it, since he was with her when she heard it, but she had thought better of it, and decided to ask Kisuke instead.
"Because men are always under the spell of the woman they love, and most of them don't have enough insight to see it that way," Urahara answered wisely, continuing to playfully attack her, with no intention to hurt her today. Rien knew that her skills would never develop, unless her soul felt it was in danger, and this was why she was annoyed with his current hobo-attitude.
Rien contemplated Urahara's wise response as she continued to attack him – she eventually decided he was right. Real power sometimes conceals itself under the guise of weakness – intelligent women, allowed their partners to think they were in charge, and subtlety advanced their agendas, rather that exerting force, making their men actually believe it was their idea. She had heard women speak of this, often in bathrooms where they would all decide who was interested in who, and who was going to 'give it up'. She had once attempted to simulate this repeated conversation with Rukia and Inoue, but all Rukia would admit to was having 'feelings' for both Renji and Ichigo, to which Rien replied 'I also have feelings for them, tell me what yours are, and I'll tell you mine' – Rukia had not meant to betray it to her, but people always felt compelled to reveal things to Rien…Rukia had kissed one of them, but she wouldn't say which, and Rien knew when not to push. Inoue would also not reveal any particulars to Rien, but admitted that she too was interested in someone, but that she was not hopeful. Neither of them were insensitive enough to ask Rien about her romantic interests, and so, the conversation ended as quickly as it had begun.
Relationships were more complicated than Yoruichi would have her believe. It was more than just physicality, there were emotions, power, struggle, angst, humour, and sometimes deception. Rien was glad she had managed to avoid this type of encounter, even though Yoruichi pushed for her to increase her exposure in this area. Her innocence had faded a little, though not completely disappeared, tempered slightly by her anguish – she rarely let her innocence exude, unless she wanted to charm them for some reason.
Rien landed a flurry of blows, sending Kisuke sliding back – it was the perfect opportunity. She flash stepped behind him, sheathing her katana in the process. Appearing behind him, she chose to stab Urahara in the kidney, not wanting to truly injure him.
"Ow!" He moaned, as the sheathed katana struck him. He turned around and hugged her, smiling broadly. In the distance, Rien could see Renji and Rukia also run towards her.
"When did you learn senka?" Kisuke smiled from ear to ear, hands still on Rien's shoulders. He had though a move this complex beyond her capabilities.
"Is that what it's called?" Rien had no idea that it had a name, or that it was Byakuya's signature move. Lethal if done accurately. "I saw Yoruichi teach it to Renji last week. I had to watch her show him numerous times before I figured out what she was doing." Although Renji had failed to wrap his brain around the finesse of the move, Rien had teased it out.
Renji clapped her on the back in congratulations. "You learnt Byakuya's move." He insensitively howled, as though thoroughly impressed. Renji could now easily follow the movement, but had not been able to duplicate it as yet. Renji was as determined as ever to exceed his taichou, but another threat had distracted his concentration this year, Ichigo's renewed pursuit of Rukia. Although Renji thought of Ichigo as a friend, he would not share Rukia with him. Rukia was his alone, he had decided, and spent hours contemplating how to foil Ichigo's every plan to acquire her affections but, never once had he considered planning an assault of his own. Renji had all but given up on his goal, when Ichigo had emerged triumphant after his 21st birthday party, boasting an impossibility. Renji had subsequently deemed Ichigo's boasts as lies, when nothing had changed in their circumstances. These days, Ichigo looked more depressed than Renji, and Renji always looked excessively solemn. Rien had also noticed Rukia's burdened look, but none would talk to her about it, except Renji, but even he concealed a truth he would not release.
"I'm sorry," Rien needlessly apologised to Rukia who smiled next to her. "I didn't know it was his." They could feel the atmosphere shift, and the blood turn to ice in her veins as she thought of him. There was just too much longing in that thought – she shook it out of her mind. The move was dead to her now – it would remind her of him everytime she used it. She would never use it again. What a waste of time, she thought. She had spent so much time on it. She had no reiatsu to speak of, and the move did not come easily to her – now she had to discard it.
"Why don't you go to the movies," Urahara suggested, trying to shift her mood. "I know Ishida's asked you," he winked at Rien. She was not amused by his insinuation. "I'm going to be having some unwelcomed customers this afternoon, and I'd rather not tempt fate," he revealed. Urahara now called the other shinigami who visited his shop 'unwelcomed customers'.
"Hai, onee-chan," Rien replied, meaning brother-in-law to only them, it was their inside joke – since Rien now knew about Kisuke and Yoruichi's relationship. That was the most embarrassing way to find out about sex, Rien had thought at the time. But, she could not have fathomed her utter mortification the next day, as Yoruichi explicitly described the 'eel and the cave' to her – that had been far worse than she could have ever imagined.
Fuck – Rien had learnt, was a very versatile word, that denoted surprise as well as activities she would rather not dwell on. When encountering these activities, at first, surprise was noted "What the fuck" then later followed by an apology from Yoruichi, "I'm sorry, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking. Its not your fault. I just didn't want you to find out about us like that." It was a peculiar word, Rien thought, to have such versatility. Having heard Ichigo use it to ward Renji from interrupting his plans with Rukia, 'Fuck-off Renji'. And, also hearing Renji confess to Rien that he would '…fuck Ichigo up if he touches Rukia'.
Yoruichi had long ago given up on trying to hide things from her 'little' sister. Rien would frequently not be able to even stomach her dinner, as Yoruichi would nibble on Kisuke's ear and remark on how much tastier he was. Rien learnt to never again venture out to inspect any noises at night, even breaking glass or loud thumping. The place could be broken into for all she cared, but, she would never again subject her eyes to those two intertwined bodies ever, ever…ever again!
Author's Note
Senka means flash blossom…but then, I guess everyone who reads this and watches Bleach already knows that…but, just in case.
I just wanted to thank my reviewers again…you say such nice things, and it makes me so happy to hear from you…I've also noticed it really motivates me to update faster – especially when my procrastination threatens to flare up.