Chapter 15: Truce

When Kirara said that she was a lot harsher with Shunpo training than Hakuda, she had not been kidding. Haruki learned that the hard way, as even a few weeks into their training, he was still hurting in places that he never knew could hurt.

"Oi, no breaks!" Kirara shouted as she spotted him doubled over, gasping for breath as sweat rolled down his face. "You're only halfway through. Get moving!" there was no sympathy or mercy in her voice, and Haruki clenched his fists.

He didn't argue with her - even if he had the backbone to stand up to the Lieutenant, he wouldn't dare argue with her. Not after seeing how easily she embarrassed another student when he annoyed her. Haruki quickly pushed those thoughts of Ren out of his head and straightened up.

Fighting the urge to vomit all over the grass, Haruki kept moving. Taking step after step, he pushed his burning muscles to continue moving, even as his lungs begged for respite. 'One more step…one more step,' Haruki repeated in his mind like a mantra as he continued to move between the spots that Kirara had marked for him.

Kirara watched, arms folded as he kept going. She could see the exhaustion clear as day, but she didn't let up. If he wanted to be better than what the Academy offered, he had to push himself beyond those limits.

'He's improving at a decent speed,' Kirara thought to herself as she kept her eyes on him. It was easy to keep up with him. 'He might make something of himself yet,' she allowed. "Good job!" she called, and Haruki stopped. Mild surprise flickered across his face - he'd lost count of how much he'd been doing.

To his credit, he remained upright, and managed to catch the bottle of water that Kirara tossed his way. She grinned as he chugged the water down. In his first session, he'd thrown up and almost passed out. He still looked ready to do both, but he managed to keep himself together.

"Is this really how you learned?" Haruki asked after he finally managed to catch his breath. He asked it every session, as if it still hadn't quite sunk in.

"Yep. Take two minutes to stretch, and then you'll go again," Kirara said shortly, and Haruki grimaced. "I can double the amount if you want?" she offered at the look. Instantly Haruki's eyes widened in utter fear.

"No, it's okay!" he insisted, instantly moving to stretch as Kirara smirked.

"Good. You'll be a master in no time," she told him, and saw confidence shimmer in his hazel eyes for a moment.

"Thanks, Lieu-" he stopped as he said Kirara's eyebrow raise in a silent reprimand. "Kirara," he corrected himself, still trying to learn to drop the formalities around the strange woman.

'He may one day be as good as me, but I don't think he'll ever be quite like me,' Kirara smirked as she scrutinised his every move. 'And I think that all of the Gotei 13 will be grateful for that,' she thought, her smirk widening.

"You're late!" the voice carried even over the din of the bar, and Kirara flashed a grin to Natsuki as she approached the table. The blonde was glowering, but it was somewhat unsteady with her red cheeks.

"I see my absence was distressing for you," she commented, setting the round of drinks she carried on the table. Instantly Natsuki's scowl vanished and she cheered, grabbing the beer meant for her. Kirara smiled fondly as she took a seat.

"You're late enough that she drank the shots we bought for you," Lisa warned, and Kirara couldn't help but laugh. Of course she had. Natsuki really did drink enough to rival Captain Kyoraku, only she lacked his constitution. "Where were you?" the other Lieutenant asked.

"Shunpo training. Haruki twisted his ankle so had to make sure he was okay before I abandoned him to join my favourite people in the world," Kirara said, reaching over to ruffle Natsuki's hair.

"Haruki?" Jinemon repeated, not recognising the name.

"Kirara adopted a student at the Academy," Natsuki giggled. The man's eyebrows rose in surprise. It was no secret amongst the Lieutenants that Kirara had been teaching a Hakuda class at the Academy for the past few weeks, and that she had been dreading it from the moment that Yoruichi had dropped it on her.

It was a secret, apparently, that she had taken on a student to train for something outside of Hakuda. Both Jinemon and Lisa were surprised by the revelation, not taking Kirara as the sort who would spend free time training a student of the Academy.

"This kid asked me to teach him Shunpo," Kirara said as she took a large drink of her beer. "Something about him made me say yes. He's surprisingly decent," she commented. She still wasn't entirely sure herself why she had agreed to do so. Something about Haruki had impressed her, and it wasn't his Hakuda skills.

"That's high praise for you," Lisa considered. Kirara just shrugged.

"Yeah!" Natsuki exclaimed louder than necessary. "When you taught me, you were really mean!" she shouted, pouting at Kirara as if she was still upset about it.

"Then you should have been better," Kirara retorted as she always did when Natsuki complained about it. "There's something about this kid. From what I've heard, he's definitely suited for Squad 4. His Kaido is one of the best in his class. But he's taking extra Hakuda classes, and has me teaching him Shunpo," she considered before she took another drink.

"I don't envy Captain Unohana, dealing with someone that Kirara trained personally," Jinemon considered. Kirara stuck out her tongue at the man. "Maybe that's why she's teaching him - to have someone just like her to torment the other Lieutenant Yamada!" he guessed, and Natsuki burst out laughing.

"Don't you have a wife and child to get home to?" Kirara fired back at him, making him laugh.

"That does sound like something Kirara would do!" Natsuki agreed. Kirara swatted at her, and Natsuki gasped as she drew back to protect her drink.

"Just saying. Anyone who learns Hakuda and Shunpo from you will be a force to be reckoned with," Jinemon said in defence. "Though I will admit, it's an odd choice for someone suited to the healing Squad," he added thoughtfully.

"Maybe he doesn't want to be in Squad 4?" Natsuki considered. Kirara hummed, nodding idly.

"Don't blame him," Lisa muttered, and Kirara grinned. "Though maybe that's why he's learning Hakuda and Shunpo, to cover his bases," she suggested as an alternate. "If he's good, he might end up leading a relief unit," she considered aloud. If he turned out to be decent at either Shunpo or Hakuda, he would definitely have an advantage over the rest of Squad 4 - if that was really where he would end up going.

Kirara had looked into Haruki a little after his request to learn Shunpo. As part of the Advanced Class, he was smart and talented in almost every aspect except for Zanjutsu. His sword work was terrible, according to Sensei Onobara at the Academy. But if he could cover that weak spot with Hakuda - and Kido, of course - then he would still graduate from the Academy with high scores.

"Better there than directly serving my sadistic brother," Kirara considered, more to herself than the others. "Either way, this teaching gig has ended up a lot more fun than I expected," Kirara admitted with a grin.

"You're such an idiot," Lisa rolled her eyes. Kirara had complained plenty leading up to the class, and now she was enjoying it.

"We knew that already," Kirara replied simply, finishing her drink. She looked down at the empty glass, surprised that she'd already finished it. "Well, guess I'll get another one," she said cheerily as she vacated her seat and went towards the bar to get another.

"Who'd have thought she'd get attached to a kid?" Jinemon snorted.

"Kirara always has to do something unexpected," Natsuki shrugged, and hiccuped. "Otherwise it would make for some real boring times. Especially right now," she commented, and both Lieutenants had to agree. It was quiet - too quiet - within the Seireitei. Almost as if they were waiting on the edge of a knife for something to happen.

A familiar hush fell over the crowd in the bar, and the three Lieutenants exchanged looks as the knew what was going on without having to turn. Only Lieutenants or above earned that brief hush in the din of their favourite bar, and they doubted any of the other Lieutenants were going to make it.

"Well well, seems we're not the only ones out to enjoy a lovely spring night," Kyoraku grinned as he saw the three sitting there.

"It's hardly a surprise. We're usually here," Lisa retorted in her usual flat voice. Kyoraku's smile fell as Natsuki couldn't hide her laugh. He grumbled about his Lieutenant always having to be rude as he took a seat at the table next to theirs. Most of their subordinates would have balked at the idea of drinking near the Captains, but the Lieutenants already there were well used to it, long having since grown comfortable with them.

"No Kirara tonight?" Rose asked, noticing the lack of their usual fourth member. Sometimes they had others join them, but there were always four usual suspects.

"You think that little of me?" he visibly jumped and looked around to see Kirara smirking, carrying two more beers in her hands. "Jumpy, Rose?" she teased, weaving around him to get back to her own seat.

"No, you're just freakishly quiet," it wasn't Rose who answered, but Shinji.

"I hope you know that I see that as a compliment, Hirako," Kirara said, not looking at him as she sat down and started drinking. Kyoraku's eyebrows shot up and he looked at Rose, who gave him a look as if to say 'I told you so'. The rest of the combined parties looked shocked.

"Now that's a nice surprise. Maybe we can have a pleasant night without arguing," Kyoraku was the first to comment on it, his grin returning as drinks were brought over to the Captains quickly.

"I hope you have something better to talk about. I came here to drink and have fun," Kirara said loftily, all too aware of the baffled air amongst most of their company.

"You're surprisingly sober for how late it is, Kirara," Love accused as they started drinking.

"I'm not a lightweight like some," Kirara gave Natsuki an obvious look. The Squad 11 Lieutenant pouted.

"She also got here late," Lisa explained.

"Busy day?" Ukitake guessed, and Kirara shrugged. Natsuki instantly giggled.

"She's got a new student!" she declared, and Kirara gave her a weary sigh. "Trainin' one of her Hakuda students in Shunpo," she said.

"Taking on additional classes? I thought you didn't want to even do one," Love's eyebrows were raised as Kirara found herself repeating her previous conversation.

"He asked, and I liked his attitude. He's not bad for a beginner," Kirara then smirked. "And I'm looking forward to hearing how he's running rings around the instructors before long," she added with a chuckle.

"You sound like an old man talking about the kid," Shinji told her.

"I do not!" Kirara protested as Natsuki burst out laughing.

"You do!" her so-called best friend agreed. Kirara turned and glared at her.

"Still, I worry for the future of whichever Squad gets Kirara's protogé," Love admitted. Kirara, Natsuki and Jinemon started to laugh at his words, and Lisa hid her smirk by taking a long drink as the Captains wondered just what they had missed.

Lisa couldn't stop her moan as she slid further down her seat, her head swimming and her stomach threatening to bring up the little food she'd managed to eat at breakfast. Nearby, Kirara wasn't faring much better as she slumped over the table. Lisa wondered if she had fallen asleep, but didn't trust herself to ask and find out.

"I'm going to pay that barman to cut us off early in future," Natsuki declared, but her voice was weak. She too was slouched in a chair, all of them exhausted and hungover after another night of drinking.

"And then you'll throw a tantrum when he actually does stop serving you," Kirara answered, proving she was awake, but just barely. Her head was pounding, and even the low light of the 8th Division library was too much for her sensitive eyes. "Remind me to beat Jinemon into the next century for being smart enough to go home," she muttered.

"If he didn't, his wife would have done exactly that," Lisa lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, pushing up her glasses as she did. Kirara hummed, knowing that she was right.

"Next time, we should invite some others," Natsuki said, and both Lisa and Kirara managed to muster the energy to look at her incredulously. "Not right away…" she defended, going red at their looks.

"I can't believe you're already thinking about the next time," Kirara reached out and lifted one of the rice cakes from the pack sitting on the table. They, along with other snacks, had been smuggled in so they could snack as they nursed their hangovers.

"It was hardly the last time," Natsuki shrugged, slouching further down. "Some of the others are bound to want to join in," she said. "Mashiro for sure-"

"She's hyper enough without alcohol. Though I do want to see how much she'd rile up Captain Muguruma when she's hammered," Kirara smirked at the thought. "Hiyori could probably be persuaded too," she added as she thought about the other Lieutenant who they often spent time with. After Hiyori and Kirara had 'sparred' when Captain Hikifune left, the two had almost become friends, spending more time together.

"Why are we already planning the next night out?" Lisa groaned, and despite how rough they felt, both Natsuki and Kirara couldn't help but laugh. "I'm more interested in how you're not biting Captain Hirako's head off just for looking at you, Kirara," she looked at Kirara out of the corner of her eye. Kirara's laughter faded.

"Yeah…that was weird," Natsuki nodded, sitting up a bit so she could grab some of the food on the table. "You and him have fought for as long as I can remember. What changed?" she asked. Kirara was quiet, chewing on the rice cake in her hand.

"I don't really know," she admitted quietly. Both Lisa and Natsuki rolled their eyes at the vague answer. "I don't," Kirara insisted when she saw their reactions.

"Right," Lisa's voice was dripping with disbelief. Kirara sighed.

'I did see this coming, I guess,' she mused, letting her head fall back so she could look at the high ceiling. 'But I really don't know what to say,' Kirara thought to herself. That moment, trapped by a blizzard, something unspoken had passed between them and they'd just let that contempt go.

"Why am I not surprised to find you all in this sorry state?" all three looked up, their conversation forgotten as another figure approached their dimly lit hiding spot. Seinosuke gave a long-suffering sigh, shaking his head, and his hair fell into his face as he did.

"Lieutenant Yamada…what brings you here?" as the Lieutenant of the Squad whose barracks they were in, Lisa was the one to greet him. She didn't stand - she didn't fully trust her legs to work.

"Just some paperwork to drop off to you, and one transfer request from one of our members who isn't quite enjoying the life of Squad 4," Seinosuke dropped the files on the table. "If you all decide that you've been enough of a disgrace to your position, you're always welcome to visit me. I'd be delighted to offer assistance in taking care of those nasty hangovers," something in his eyes seemed to flash as he bowed to Lisa.

"Piss off, little brother," Kirara slumped back over the table. Seinosuke gave another deep sigh.

"It's hurtful that my own sister is so determined to chase me away," he shook his head as if he was really upset by it. Kirara would have rolled her eyes if she had the energy. Instead she just glowered up at him, and he smirked at her. "Well, I must be off. Unlike some, I have a lot of work to do," Seinosuke turned on his heel, but only made it a few feet before he stopped. "Come visit Hanataro sometime, dear sister. Before I drop him on you full-time," he warned, and vanished into the shadows of the library.

"Your brother really is a bastard," Natsuki declared. Kirara snorted.

"I told you that Hana got all the personality in the family," she replied.

After finally being shooed away from the Squad 8 library by some Shinigami who were actually trying to do some work, Lisa vanished to her office while Natsuki went home to nap. Instead of doing the same, Kirara decided to take a walk through the Seireitei. The weather was warming up, but wasn't oppressively hot just yet.

"You and him have fought for as long as I can remember. What changed?" the question echoed in Kirara's head as she walked through the streets of the Seireitei, occasionally passing other Shinigami who were going about their day.

'I guess I have to get used to being the subject of gossip for a while,' Kirara thought, a little irritated by it. It wasn't as if she was suddenly friends with Shinji - far from it - she just found herself less willing to get angry at every little thing he said and did now.

That moment of acknowledgement in the cave had changed something. She was no longer angry over something that happened so long ago - honestly, it was starting to feel a little childish, and that thought annoyed Kirara more than the sudden change or the questions and looks others gave.

"I really am an idiot," Kirara muttered to herself, pushing her hair from her face. She then shook her head, and her hair fell back into place, with some of the strands tracing the scar over her nose. She reached up, running her finger down the scar by her chin.

When a flicker of familiar Reiatsu touched on her senses, Kirara slowed as she was pulled from her thoughts, her eyebrows furrowing.

"What are you doing?" she asked, looking up at the Captain watching her.

"Sitting?" Shinji answered with a small quirk of his head. Sitting on one of the rooftops, his head had been turned towards the sun until Kirara walked by. Her hair was messier than usual and barely seemed to be held up by her tie, and despite her sharp gaze, she looked tired. Not that he was very surprised. She gave a small sigh at his answer.

'So that's how others feel when I do it. Makes sense,' she thought, almost smiling.

"But why there?" Kirara asked him. Shinji shrugged.

"Don't think you have a right to ask people that when you've been caught sleeping in trees," Shinji replied as he watched her. Kirara couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"You've got a point," she allowed.

"I'm surprised you're conscious, Princess. You lot seemed pretty content to drink the night away," Shinji commented as he kept watching her. Her eyebrow twitched at the nickname.

"I may not be ready to rip your head from your shoulders every waking second, Hirako, but it doesn't mean that I suddenly like that stupid nickname," Kirara warned, and the smallest of smirks crossed his face. So there was still a way to rile her up, at least. Kirara didn't miss it - it was rare she saw him smile around her. "So that's why you're there. Seems you had a little too much to drink last night too," she accused.

"Maybe," Shinji shrugged. "Or maybe I'm just enjoying the Spring sunshine while I can," he said, and Kirara hummed as she moved, leaning against the wall.

"It's a good spot," she agreed, looking up at the sky above. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, letting the brilliant blue stretch forever. "Though a nap does sound good too…" Kirara considered, turning her head. "Maybe I'll go visit Rose," she said, more to herself than Shinji.

"Do you ever work?" he asked, a little exasperated by her words. Kirara met his gaze and tilted her head.

"Do you?" she challenged.

"Of course I do. I'm a Captain. I'm very busy," Shinji said loftily, sticking his nose in the air. Kirara laughed again. It wasn't a sound he was used to hearing, and it threw him.

"Sure," she pushed off the wall. "Enjoy your hard work, Hirako," she walked off, waving over her shoulder without looking back.

"Enjoy your nap, Princess," he fired back. Kirara stopped waving, and instead flipped him off. Shinji chuckled and lifted his head to the sky again. "A peaceful Spring at last," Shinji murmured to himself, but his smile faded. "Maybe…" he said, unable to shake that feeling that something was lingering in the air.

Something that told him everything was going to change.