Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach
Chapter Six - A Quincy's Zanpaktou
"Captain," Kin said as she glanced at the young man out of the corner of her eye and noticed that, instead of working the stack of paperwork that was on his desk, Shiro was staring blankly off into space. "You seem somewhat out of it today. Is everything alright?"
"Huh?" Shiro said, snapping back to reality and shifting his gaze toward his vice-captain. He instantly noticed that she had a concerned look in her blue eyes and, realizing that he must have zoned out again, he offered her a small smile. "I'm fine. Just a little preoccupied."
"By what?" Kin asked.
"Kasumi's undergoing the trial to obtain her zanpaktou today," Shiro replied, his blue-green eyes glazing over once again as his thoughts shifted to his best friend. Kasumi had confided in him that she was nervous about the unknown test that she would have to undergo in order to obtain her zanpaktou and Shiro had been concerned about her ever since.
"Don't worry Captain," Kin said as she got to her feet and walked over to his desk. It was in this moment that she realized that Shiro had never undergone a trial in order to obtain his zanpaktou so he had no clue how the process worked. Since he possessed the soul of Captain Hitsugaya he'd had a ready made zanpaktou in Hyourinmaru. "Kasumi-chan will be fine. I promise."
As the dust settled and Kasumi got to her feet she was somewhat surprised to see that she held a long staff in her right hand. Turning it around so that she could get a good look at it the young girl saw that it was completely unremarkable. True, it was a beautiful mahogany color but there was nothing about it that set it apart from any other staff used for sparing or fighting.
"So this is my zanpaktou huh?" Kasumi murmured to herself as she twirled it about in her hands. Thinking back to how she had acquired it she shook her head and laughed slightly. "That was the absolute weirdest thing I've ever experienced in my life and considering that my life has consisted of one weirdness after the other that's really saying something."
"So I'm weird am I?" a far off voice seemed to echo through her very mind.
"Yea," Kasumi replied without so much as missing a beat. "You are somewhat."
"Well coming from you I guess I'll take that as a compliment."
Kasumi could only smile at the voice of her zanpaktou, which was supposed to be an extension of herself, the embodiment of her heart and soul. She had heard Shiro complain about Hyourinmaru enough to know that this relationship was going to have it's ups and downs however she could deal with that.
"I really am one of the weirdest ones around," Kasumi murmured as she once again twirled the staff, laughing to herself as she did so. "I thought my zanpaktou was supposed to be a sword."
"Well I guess you shouldn't think so much."
"Oh shut up," Kasumi said, although there was a smile on her face that belied her harsh words. After taking a couple of moments to collect her thoughts Kasumi took a deep breath and prepared to return to the Academy. She was the first in her class to undergo the trial, which she was thankful for. Now she could relax while all of the others stressed about the ordeal that they were facing.
"I don't know if it's the same for everyone," the young girl thought to herself as she traveled back to her class. "But if it is then they don't have anything to worry about. That wasn't so hard."
"That's because you're special Kasumi-chan."
"Thanks," Kasumi said. "I'm not sure how you mean that however I choose to take it as a compliment."
Laughter echoed in her mind.
Having finished his paperwork for the day Shiro decided that he could use some fresh air and, after bidding farewell to his vice-captain, the young captain made his way out to the garden. The white haired prodigy slowly made his way over to the large koi pond that was situated in one corner of the garden and sat down under the weeping willow tree that stood guard over the koi.
Shiro pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Placing his head on his knees the young captain stared at the koi, which were peacefully swimming beneath the small waterfall, a thoughtful expression in his blue-green eyes.
"You look like you're having fun."
Shiro immediately glanced up at the sound of the familiar, musical voice and he smiled as he watched Kasumi walking toward him. As usual she was dressed in the red and white uniform of the Academy however there was something definately different about her. Shiro's gaze focused on the staff that the young girl was wearing secured across her back.
"Are you skipping out on your responsibilities?" Kasumi asked, offering her best friend a smile as she sat knelt down beside him. She propped herself up on her knees so that she wouldn't have to remove the staff from it's position across her back.
"Of course not," Shiro said, slightly indignant over her accusation. Then he changed the subject and gestured toward the staff. "So I take it that's your zanpaktou."
Kasumi nodded. "Leave it to me to be the oddball of the group."
"You never know," Shiro said with a smile. "You were the first to get your zanpaktou. There's still time for someone else to get something weirder."
"Yea," Kasumi said with a smirk. "You and I both know that's so not gonna happen. But I'm okay with that. I've always thought that it's better to be different."
"And you're right," Shiro said as he got to his feet and offered Kasumi his hand. "So shall we go out to the Squad Ten training grounds and see what you're capable of?"
"Sure," Kasumi said as she accepted his hand and allowed him to gently pull her to her feet. It had been a while since the two of them had spared together and she had to admit that she missed it. It was always good to release some pent up frustrations and fighting with Shiro had always been a good way to do just that.
"Captain!"
Shiro paused as he heard the voice of his vice-captain calling out to him. His gaze shifted back to the door that led into the Squad Ten barracks and he watched as Kin emerged. His second in command gazed around the garden for a couple of seconds before her gaze fell upon Shiro and Kasumi.
"I'm glad you're still here," Kin said as she jogged over to the spot where the two teens were standing.
Shiro noticed that there was a black butterfly perched on the tip of Kin's finger and he raised one eyebrow in confusion. "What's up?"
"It's a message from your mother Captain Shiro," Kin replied, slightly out of breath after her search for her superior. "She and your father have a mission and she wants you to keep an eye on the twins."
"A mission," Shiro repeated, looking less than convinced. "They probably just wanna go out together."
"Shiro!" Kasumi gasped, giving her best friend a reproachful look. "Why would you say something like that?"
"Think about it," Shiro said. "What kind of mission could possibly require both of my parents? I mean my dad alone is enough to take on Soul Society so why would he need Mom's help?"
"Oh," Kasumi said, realizing that her friend had a very valid point. "Good point. So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to watch the runts so that they can go on their mission," Shiro replied without so much as a moment's hesitation. This said he once again offered his hand to his best friend. "Wanna come along for the ride?"
"Sure," Kasumi said.
Shiro nodded and then turned back to face his vice-captain. "I'm really leaving this time Kin. Try to keep things under control while I'm gone."
Kin nodded. "I'll do my best."
Laughing softly to himself Shiro held out his hand and summoned a Senkaimon. It was true that it would have only taken a couple of minutes for him and Kasumi to walk to the permanent Senkaimon that had been established for travel to the world of the living but Shiro decided that he was in a hurry. And since he could summon the gate on his own why not?
"I guess we'll have to post-pone our little sparing match," Kasumi said as she and Shiro walked toward the house that Ichigo and Rukia shared with their two youngest children.
"Only for a little while," Shiro said with a smirk. "I'm bringing the twins back to Soul Society. I think they'll get a kick out of seeing this match."
Shaking her head Kasumi couldn't help but laugh.
Shiro knocked on the door once before he opened it and pulled Kasumi inside. "I'm home," he called out in the loudest voice that he could muster, winking at Kasumi as he did so.
"NII-SAN!"
The sound of two little voices mingling together could be heard followed shortly thereafter by the sounds of two small children running down the hallway. Mere seconds passed before two blurs, one black and one orange, ran down the hall and tackled Shiro.
"Hey runts," Shiro said as he gazed fondly down at the two small children who were now clinging to his legs as though they hadn't seen him in years.
"I think they're happy to see you," a soft voice called out.
"Hey Mom," Shiro said as his mother walked over to the spot where they were standing. Rukia smiled at her oldest before leaning forward and giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for coming to watch the twins Shiro-chan."
"No problem," Shiro said. "But if it's okay with you I'd like to take Kai and Saki with me to Soul Society."
"That's fine," Rukia said, grateful that he was agreeing to watch his siblings. "Your dad and I will come and get them later."
Shiro nodded before turning his attention back to his two younger siblings. "Alright guys, how would you like to go to Soul Society with me and Kasumi?"
"Yea!" the twins exclaimed in one voice, excited expressions appearing on their small features.
"Now you guys behave and listen to your brother," Rukia called out as the small group turned to leave.
" 'Kay Mom," Kaien said. The little boy was the more responsible of the twins and he always made an attempt to keep his energetic sister under control.
"Have fun," Rukia called out.
After leaving the house in which he had grown up Shiro led his little group to the edge of the yard before once again summoning a Senkaimon so that they could travel to Soul Society. Masaki took her brother's hand while Kaien shyly slipped his hand into Kasumi's.
The two teens smiled as they led the way through the Senkaimon. Then, once the group arrived back in Soul Society, Shiro turned his attention to the twins once more. "So guys, Kasumi and I were going to do a little training. Would you guys like to watch?"
"Yes!"
"Thought so," Shiro said with a smile. "Come on. We'll go to the Squad Ten training grounds so that no one will bother us."
Once the group arrived at the Squad Ten training grounds Shiro quickly erected a kidou barrier so that no one would bother them. Then he told his siblings where they could sit so that they would have a good view of the battle but would also be safe.
"You gonna use kidou?" Kaien asked.
Shiro shook his head and drew Hyourinmaru from the sheath that he wore secured across his back. "No Kai, we're going to use our zanpaktou."
"But Ka-chan's a Quincy," Masaki said innocently, gazing at the older girl with wide eyes. "Quincy's not s'posed to have zanpaktou."
"Well Saki-chan," Shiro said in an attempt to explain the situation to the little girl. "Kasumi is a little different. You see she's both a Quincy and a Shinigami."
"Ooh," Masaki said, gazing at Kasumi in awe. "Ka-chan's special."
"Yes she is," Shiro said, fixing an intense gaze on Kasumi and offering her a slightly lopsided grin.
Kasumi blushed and pulled the staff from it's sheath. The young girl gracefully twirled the staff in front of her and then gazed over at Shiro. "Are you ready Shiro-chan?"
"You better believe it," Shiro said. Turning back to his siblings the young captain said, "Now you two behave."
"Yes Nii-san."
"Right," Shiro said as he and Kasumi moved away from the twins and took their places out in the center of the battleground. The young captain raised his sword while Kasumi once again twirled her staff out in front of her. "So let's see what a Quincy can do with a zanpaktou."
"Alright," Kasumi said with a broad smile. Deciding to waste no time the young girl held the staff out in front of her, horizontally. At the same time she called out the words that had echoed through her mind at the moment that she had seized her zanpaktou and claimed it as her own. "Burn Bright, Kitsune Kaji."
"Fox fire huh?" Shiro whispered as he watched Kasumi's staff become engulfed in a golden light. His gaze remained focused on the weapon and with a small gasp he watched as it curved slightly and a golden string gracefully flew from one end and attached to the other.
"It's a bow?" he asked the moment he saw the finished product.
Kasumi nodded as she used her reiatsu to form an arrow from the spirit particles that surrounded them and made up everything in Soul Society. "Tell me that you didn't think a Quincy would have anything else."
"Of course not," Shiro said as he held up his sword. "Reign over the frosted, frozen sky, Hyourinmaru!"
Kaien and Masaki watched excitedly as their brother and his best friend fought one another, their eyes open wide and their hands clasped together. They squealed each time Shiro took the advantage in battle and held their breath when it seemed as though Kasumi would emerge victorious.
Kasumi was indeed talented, especially considering the fact that she had never before used her zanpaktou, however Shiro proved to be the more skilled of the two and in the end Kasumi was forced to concede the fight to him.
"Fine, you win," she said as she fought to catch her breath. "But there's going to be a rematch."
"Any time," Shiro said with a smirk.
A/N - And now Kasumi has a zanpaktou and of course it had to be a bow. On top of everything that has happened I just don't think Uryu could handle it if his daughter got a normal sword. So she gets to be special. Please review and tell me what you thought. And thanks for all the reviews this story has already recieved. Hitsu-taichou