20 Years Ago
"How do you even put up with him?!" Rangiku cried out from her position behind the paperwork on top of her desk. Isshin's paperwork, a month of it at least.
As for why it was with her, Isshin had disappeared for the day. I wouldn't be surprised if he had snuck off to laze away with Shunsui. While it was nice that the two of them got along so well, it did cause our poor lieutenant way too much stress.
"Well, I've known him since I was born. So, practice I guess" I shrugged, smothering an amused smile as I worked on paperwork of my own. Technically not my own, but someone had to help Rangiku and not only was our captain missing, but so was the third seat. That left me next in line to be harassed into helping.
"You don't need to do this, you know. You could just let him take the fall for it" I reminded her.
"If he falls, it reflects badly on all of us" She frowned.
"True" I continued going over a piece of paper, noting some concerning things happening in Naruki City. I'll have to make sure that gets to Isshin as soon as he gets back. "But maybe you should just do the work instead of nagging him to do it, until it gets too much and we have no choice but to pull overnighters to get them finished"
"I'm sure I'll get through to him eventually"
"Rangiku" I gave her a deadpan stare. "How long have you been his lieutenant? A decade or two, right?"
"About that, yes"
"And have you ever gotten through to him in all that time?"
".. No"
"Exactly. Shiba men are thick headed. The only way they'll learn is if they experience consequences"
"Even if it makes us look bad?"
"You just do your work, and your reputation will be fine" I shrugged.
"Well in that case!" Rangiku pushed the stacks off paperwork off the table and onto the floor, making me wince. I would be the one cleaning that up. Rangiku then proceeded to fold her arms and put her arms on them.
Leaving me to continue doing her work.
I shook my head at her and chuckled under my breath. Rangiku liked to complain that Isshin was lazy, but the woman was equally as lazy as the Captain. Both of them were equally in denial about that fact, and it was amusing. They'd be perfect for each other, maybe with some nudging I could have a new sister-in-law...
"What are you daydreaming about?"
"Shit!" I jumped slightly and looked towards the white haired kid that spoke. "Kami, Toushiro. You need to stop being so quiet"
He just shrugged me off and held out an envelope. "Captain Kyoraku asked me to give this to you"
"He did?" I blinked as I took the envelope. Toushiro tended to visit home in the 1st district. The 8th wasn't near the West gate, that meant they were hiding at the 13th. Of course Shunsui would drag Jushiro into their laziness. "Did you happen to see our captain?"
"Hmm" He hummed in agreement. "He said to tell you that he'll be back soon"
"Soon" Rangiku scoffed. "Meaning tomorrow afternoon when he sleeps off his hangover"
"Most likely" I turned my attention back to the envelope and opened it up. When I removed the paper from within, I was immediately hit with Shunsui's cologne. As much as I loved the smell, it wasn't as great when he smothered the paper in it.
"That stinks" Toushiro scrunched up his nose.
"What is it anyway?" Rangiku raised her head to look up at me.
"Poetry, most likely"
"Captain Kyoraku writes poetry?"
"He's surprisingly romantic. Admittedly, he's not that good at it. It's sweet nonetheless" I unfolded the paper and started to read what Shunsui had written. It didn't take long for my face to turn red. It wasn't the first time he had written something a bit more raunchy, but this was the first time he had someone I knew deliver it right to the office. I could feel both Rangiku and Toushiro's eyes boring into me.
"What is it?" Rangiku leaned closer.
"Nothing" I immediately scrunched the paper up.
"It can't be that bad!" She made a move to grab it, but I just moved it further away. That just made her more determined to get it from me.
In her determination to get it from me, we ended up wrestling for the stupid piece of paper. The thing about wrestling with Rangiku is that the risk of being suffocated was very real. The woman lacked awareness when it came to her chest sometimes, and it didn't take long for me to be trapped face first with her chest pressed firmly against my back. She went to grab the paper, but the thing had somehow escaped my grasp in the tussle.
She got up to look for it, giving me the chance to raise my head and catch a breath. I pushed myself up, and while Rangiku was hunting for the note, I noticed it had drifted a bit away from us...
And right infront of Toushiro.
The kid scowled at it, but then proceeded to pick it up. My eyes went wide, and before he could unfrumple it, I set it alight with a kido, which caught Rangiku's attention.
"Hey! I still needed to read that!"
Present
Kami had to be toying with me, I thought I groaned. Thirteen Squads, and I get thrown into the one I spent the last years of my shinigami career in. One I had left friends behind in. And said friends probably noticed something land in their district, which meant it wouldn't be long until they found me.
With that in mind, I started walking across the rooftops. It was less obvious than walking around in the street, and my shoes were made to be quiet. So as long as nobody looked up, I'd be fine.
"Hey!"
Shit, someone looked up.
"Ryoka!"
Maybe if I stayed still, they wouldn't see me. Like the dinosaurs in that Jurassic Park movie.
"Shiba Enka"
Crap. How did things go from bad to worse in less than a damn second. I groaned and turned around to face the person calling my name. I almost wept tears of joy when it wasn't either of the two I dreaded meeting, although this person was still rather familiar, even if I couldn't put my finger on why.
"Sorry, you must have the wrong person" I laughed nervously. "I'm Kurosaki, not Shiba"
"You're wearing the Shiba emblem on your back" The man deadpanned.
Right.
"I'm borrowing it from a friend. I didn't expect Soul Society to be so cold when I came here" I shrugged.
"Cut the crap. I could recognise your beauty anywhere"
... What?
"I'm sorry? My what?" I stared at him in surprise. To be honest, I haven't been called a beauty by anyone other than my family since I lost my eye.
"You were the most beautiful woman in Squad Ten, you have a face I would never forget"
"Don't let Rangiku hear you say that" I snorted.
Oh.
Wait.
Rangiku had heard him say it before.
Now I remember this guy. Kikuchi Kurou, the 7th Seat when I was still here. Also a creep who was obsessed with me. I suppressed a shudder, it was no wonder I didn't recognise him at first, my mind had repressed the memories. He had been a bit of a stalker, showering me with unwanted gifts, complimenting me every time he saw me, and being very vocal about the fact that a "drunkard" and a "diseased person" wasn't deserving of me. Of course, he never said any of that infront of anyone that would have kicked his ass for it. It still got back to me, but since I had no actual proof to get him in to actual trouble, I did make his training hell.
"Oh" I said with disgust. "It's you"
"I always knew you'd come back" I hated the way he looked at me. "Although I wasn't expecting you to literally fall for me"
I almost barfed. I could feel Baku shaking with rage in her sheathe, she hated the man more than I did. She had always advocated chopping certain parts of him off, and now that I wasn't bound by the rules of Seireitei, I was really tempted.
"Don't you have someone else to creep out? Because I have more important things to do, Seventh Seat"
"I'm a fourth seat now" He boasted. "I'm now on par with you"
I think that was the worst way I've ever been insulted. "You? On par with me?chi I arched a brow at him. "It's been years since I've been a fourth seat. Do you think I've been stagnant all this time?"
Before he could say something, I shunpo'd beside him and launched a kick towards his side. I just saw his eyes widen, before he was sent into the nearest wall.
"On par with me"
I couldn't help but smirk as I watched him slide down the wall, groaning in pain. It felt good to finally unleash some of that pent-up frustration I had been carrying for all these years.
"Looks like you've been out of practice, Kikuchi," I mocked, stepping closer to him. "Maybe it's time for you to reconsider your abilities."
I made out a small smirk on his face, and just barely twisted my body to the side to avoid a kido blast to my face, unfortunately it ended up singing a lock of my hair. I scowled in annoyance and turned back to look at Kikuch, who had now gotten back up with a hand on his zanpakuto.
The grin on his face made my skin crawl.
"Seems like I'm not the only one out of practice. You would have been able to dodge that before"
I suppressed a surge of anger and frustration. This encounter was becoming more irritating by the second. Kikuchi seemed to be reveling in the opportunity to show off his newfound skill, and I hated it.
"Why don't you bring out that fiesty zanpakuto of yours?" He said as he unsheathed his own zanpakuto. "Mine has been waiting ages to meet yours again"
Baku was a zanpakuto of few emotions, and the feeling of disgust rippling through her blade was definitely a new one. I understood, though. Because apparently the creep's obsession extended towards his zanpakuto as well.
"You're not worth even seeing Baku's blade" I scoffed, instead slipping into a simple hakuda stance. "Besides, I don't need her to deal with you"
I didn't want to waste time with Kikuchi, not with the threat of some of my old comrades being so close by. I needed to end this quick. I needed to end this quick, and before he released his Zanpakuto. It was as creepy as him, and I didn't feel like dealing with it today.
With a swift motion, I launched myself towards Kikuchi, aiming for a quick and decisive victory. My hakuda skills were honed through years of training and combat, and I intended to make full use of them against him.
He blocked my first blow with the backside of his katana, a small shield consisting of Reiki getting between me and the steel. I pulled back my hand, and dodged a swing from his blade. Again, the backside towards me. It was almost insulting that he wasn't using the actual blade on me.
He must have guessed what I was thinking from the look on my face, and grinned. "Hey now, I don't want to cut that beautiful face of yours. Well, not more than it already is"
I saw red. As a woman shinigami, especially a noble, I faced alot of sexism. There were alot of comments, alot of people looking down on me, and even fighting my way up to a ranked officer didn't completely stop them. I'd have hoped, with time, things would have changed.
But it's still the same.
My 'pretty face' was still making men think I wasn't deserving of proper respect.
Back then, I use be pretty passive. I use to smile, pretend that their backhanded compliments didn't bother me. That their sneers didn't affect me. But I guess these last ten years have changed me, because I definitely didn't feel like being passive right now.
In the second after Kikuchi's comment, the air had changed. There was a foreign voice in my head, screaming, full of rage, telling me to kill him. I would have mistaken it for Baku, but it wasn't her voice. Something pricked at my eye, and I blinked to get rid of it. But it wasn't going away.
"What the hell..." That stupid grin had left Kikuchi's face, and it was replaced by a look of... confusion? Fear?
I don't know, but I wasn't going to let this moment go to waste.With a swift motion, I launched myself towards Kikuchi and landed a powerful kick to his stomach, causing him to stagger backward. Taking advantage of his momentary vulnerability, I pressed the attack, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks with a strange feeling of unfamiliar power . Each strike connected with precision, delivering a satisfying impact.
With a final, powerful strike, I sent Kikuchi flying through the air, crashing into a nearby building. He slumped to the ground, unconscious and defeated. The sight of him crumpled and bleeding brought this sick feeling of joy, and that was disturbing. But it went as soon as it came, along with that annoying prick in my eye. At first I thought it was dust, but then realized it was in my blinded eye, that was covered.
I shook it off, and was preparing to leave when I felt a familiar reiatsu from a distance. Shit, I must have leaked too much reiatsu. I couldn't face her, especially after how I left.
I turned back towards Kikuchi and went over to him, then crouched down beside his prone form. I turned his head towards me, then proceeded to slap his cheek.
Nothing.
I sighed, then started slapping it a couple of times until the idiot finally started moving and groaned.
"Hey, creep" His eyes cracked open, and there was a new expression in them. Fear. I think I like that more than the lust. "I'm gonna let you live, if you do something for me, alright?"
He didn't say anything.
"Alright?" I said a bit more forcefully, gripping his chin in my hand, and he gave a slight nod. "Good. When the lieutenant gets here, I want you to tell her something" Another nod. I then leaned in. "Tell her not to come after me"
"W-Why?" He wheezed.
"Just do what I say, or I'll come find you later" The prickling in my eye came back, and Kikuchi stiffened before nodding his repeatedly as best as he could with his chin in my hand.
Satisfied, I let go of his chin and stood back up. Leaving Kikuchi behind, I resumed my journey across the rooftops. The adrenaline coursed through my veins, fueling me with determination and purpose, this new feeling I discovered fueling me. I would not be deterred or held back by past acquaintances or the weight of my own history. I had a mission, and I intended to see it through to the end.
