#maegawa asahi

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I headcanon occasionally having to maneuver a fellow sleep-drunken squad member out of harm's way is a rather common thing in the 9th.

At least for Maegawa and Minamoto. Who would've thought the reflexes subconsciously learned from the many printing days would come in handy in the 3rd too?

Aka #AEIWAM Gin and his 16-dimensions-at-once-vision encounter Cupboard-to-Hip-Prevention Maegawa

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This has been in my brain since I read '9th Division Tech Support'

That's been months. Maybe half a year or smth.

It finally exists. It's super silly but it brings me joy and I finally wanted to get it out of brain and into a viewable state

Idea and Tōsen Characterisation based on #aeiwam by @gallusrostromegalus as always, because I can never go back to Bleach Alpha ever again

Did I give the flesh TV ears,vocal chords and eyes to make the whole face timing thing make more sense? Maybe. The initial design was based on the weird flesh TV Yamamoto uses to talk to Toshiro in the living world

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Gotta love the 9th division, especially AEIWAM edition

I wanted to write a little tid bit about Maegawa and it got out of hand

Surviving the Gōtei 13 for Dummies

 

Chapter 12: The 9th Division

Sleeping bags in offices and early shifts to babysit the printing press are just some of the quirks of the 9th Division. Less temperamental than the 11th and about as stressed as the 4th, the 9th division sports quite the characters.

Chance of Survival in this division is rather high compared to others. Chance of Screwed-Up Sleep Schedules and close relationships to Coffee Kami is even higher.

 

1. Captain Tōsen Kaname

Current Captain of the 9th Division. Hardworking, serious and a master of paperwork management. Captain Tōsen shines with a strong sense of morality, dedication and kindness. The blind Captain of the 9th sees a lot more than most realize. Overall witty, caring and determined.

 3 Helpful Tips for Dealing with Captain Tōsen

Do not speak about archiving unless you're ready to sit through a three hour presentation with slideshow

No horoscopes. Just don’t.

Misdemeanour may lead to getting your own article in the papers (this is not a good thing)

 

Topics Captain Tōsen is a great help with:

Surprisingly, Archiving. If you’re in need of organization regarding paperwork, books, research articles, etc., Captain Tōsen is very apt in the development and usage of organizational systems for exactly those kinds of things.

Advice. Though usually very busy, Captain Tōsen is caring and level-headed, a good listener who knows when to provide comfort and when to offer a possible solution. When in a bind, the 9th Division Captain is known for supporting his subordinates with a unique perspective and helpful, if sometimes stern advice.

 

2. Vice-Captain Hisagi Shūhei

Captain Tōsen’s loyal and hardworking Vice-Captain. May seem very serious and stoic but is easily flustered (f.E. by: 3rd Seat Maegawa, as seen below; Captain Matsumoto Rangiku as seen in Ch.13). Overall mature, loyal and very proper, despite his rather delinquent-like appearance.

3 Helpful Tips to Dealing with Vice-Captain Hisagi

 Don't be intimidated by his appearance. Vice-Captain Hisagi is a very kind and well meaning Shinigami.

Easily put out of commission when in combination with Squad 9's 3rd Seat. If you need him distracted try to get him to 3rd Seat Maegawa. If the situation allows, Squad 10s Vice Captain Matsumoto has the same effect.

Under no circumstance bad mouth former 9th Division Captain Muguruma Kensei. Don't.

Topics Vice-Captain Hisagi is a great help with:

Guitar! Picked up one of those in the living world and his squad stopped complaining about the noise after the Ryoka Sado taught him. Now he’s good enough to teach others himself, not that he found anyone yet

Again, despite appearances, Vice-Captain Hisagi is a surprisingly good cook. Excels at making good food out of cheap ingredients, due to money being tight. 3rd Seat Maegawa swears by his food. Decent at couponing.

3. Third Seated Officer Maegawa Asahi

One of the 7 Wonders of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Even in the 9th Division no one is sure when exactly Maegawa joined, but recalls her already being there when they themselves joined. When enquired upon this, she is quick to deflect the question and change topic. Whether this is because she’s trying to keep up the rumour herself or if there’s actually something going on is so far unconfirmed. Overall gentle and caring but surprisingly temperamental at times.

 

3 Helpful Tips to Dealing with 3rd Seat Maegawa:

Do not enquire about her age. If she deflects DO NOT press further - this WILL lead to injuries!

Do not intrude on her frequent sword meditations or speak ill of Zanpakutō in front of her (whyever you would do that is beyond me anyway)

Try not to breach the topic of 9th division captains. Maegawa _can_ and _will_ silence you one way or another

Topics 3rd Seat Maegawa is a great help with:

Swordsmanship - Maegawa is a surprisingly skilled swordswoman, able to take on multiple Squad 11 members at once. Her keen observation and surprising willingness to help out make her a great teacher when faced with difficulties in the way of the sword.

Sword Spirit Reconciliation and Mediation – Enamoured with Zanpakutō and their quirks, paired with an excellent ability to see things from different perspectives, Maegawa has sorted out many a twixt between Shinigami and Zanpakutō. If there’s a disagreement or problem with your sword spirit, consulting 3rd Seat Maegawa is a very good bet. She does not tolerate negligence and mistreatment of sword spirits, so don’t expect her to side with you no matter the case and don’t bother even going if you’re not ready to put some work into mending that relationship

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Sneak Peek for a funny I'm drawing to get my mind off things

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Ok ok I found it surprisingly fast but

One of Maegawa's most well kept secrets, she only starts wearing it openly sometime after Kensei's miraculous return

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"Incredible guy, really! Took on missions here while he was still in the academy I heard. He's sure skilled enough for it. Ah, don't let his edgy exterior scare you off, he's a real goof beneath it all"

Maegawa sighed as her friend lost herself in another ramble. Did the corridors of the 9th seem longer today..?

The strawberry-blonde shinigami had thoroughly enjoyed Minamoto's earlier ramblings about mantodea. This one about some edgy academy upstart? ..Not so much.

"Mina, as much as I trust your insights.. why exactly are you dragging me into this? The Cleansing Festival Preparations are already underway and I have more work on my desk than coffee cups.... Which means I'm behind", Maegawa sighed again. "Also the Shinigami Women's Assocation has asked about a strange new holiday and I have no clue what it is, but if I don't get to part of the preparations for 'Cake and Cunnilingus Day' I swear to you-"

"Hold! I know, I know- but Asa, just trust me with this one, ok?", Minako's excited, and - worryingly enough - mischievous little grinny smile was hard to say no to.

The endless corridors finally seemed to have come to an end and the two Shinigami stepped out into the courtyard.

A few other soul reapers were on the move around them, and the strawberry blonde's eyes wandered over the black clad figures in search of someone waiting.

"..Fine. But if I miss out on cake and cunnilingus-", Asahi's voice got stuck in her throat as her lightly annoyed gaze fell on a young man she hadn't seen around before. Specifically the tattoo ever so prominently displayed on his cheek.

The woman's eyes widened, a ghost of a boasting laugh haunting the back of her mind at seeing that ridiculous number printed so boldy.. and so proudly. Her eyes stung for a moment, but she'd grown adept at swallowing her woes like soul candy.

...Why was something she thought she'd never see again in her agonisingly long afterlife... Printed so boldly on this young man's cheek..?

"Minamoto Minako to Maegawa Asahi, patching through, hello hello, is anybody home?", Mina ripped her friend out of her thoughts, causing Asahi to shake her head and look at her instead.

"Ah, yes, right. Sorry. What was it?"

"I'm introducing you", Minako grinned as she waved the young man over, who crossed the courtyard after her ok with a few haste steps.

As much as he tried to look ever so serious, his hand betrayed him as he fidgeted with the sleeves of his shihakushō.

"Hisagi Shūhei, Maegawa Asahi", Minamoto introduced them with a smile showcasing how proud she was of herself.

Asahi was still struggling with words, trying to keep her eyes from ever so obviously returning to the tattoo on the guy's cheek.

"Uhm.. It's nice to meet you. ...I.. Well, if I could get straight to the point.. Minamoto said.. you were quite close to someone. Uhm.. Someone named..", the man's pointer and middle finger softly touched the 69 on his cheek.

"....Muguruma Kensei", Maegawa softly finished his question for him. ".....I.. might have a moment or two.. for some tea", the Shinigami offered with a rueful smile.

"Guess Cake and Cunnilingus is later then, huh?", Minako snickered, earning a pragmatic nod from Asahi and an extremely bewildered and very much flustered, wide-eyed shock-stare from poor Shūhei.

She got the tattoo after seeing it on Shūhei and missing Kensei, she originally planned to never let anyone see it ever

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TOUSEN CURSE WOUND SNIPPET HELLO CAN I SEE PLASE??? (Even if it's not AEIWAM -specific I am *starved* for content of my blorbos)

Ok I see you I and I raise you Archive obsessed Captain finds something weird in the files and decides to undergo a temporary career change to Detective Captain - It is very much AEIWAM specific because I consumed your Kaname stuff and my inner child was healed fr (aka the pouting one that Kaname was such a wasted character in og bleach) So that was also kinda why I was tentative about posting it, I didn't want to rudely intrude in your world So this isn't the curse snippet... yet. But in contrast to the curse wound snippet this is Kaname POV so here you go buddy, blorbo supreme, giving back some of the joy that AEIWAM has brought me hopefully haha

1.4k Wordles The sound of quick controlled brush strokes and page after page being moved rivalled Hisagi’s. Tōsen had gotten used to the rhythm and speed his lieutenant worked at. ..With this new revelation, he was sure what he had noticed in the files in the archives hadn’t just been a weird feeling. His third seated officer was handling complex report and security forms at a speed no one should be capable of. At least not when seeing them for the first time. And according to the files this should be her first time doing lieutenant paperwork. Something was off.

The sound of the brush subsided and a few moments later Tōsen heard the sound of ink stone and water. Maegawa had seemingly taken a break from filling out forms to grind herself new ink. After a few strokes of grinding stone and gently sloshing water, the woman sighed and laid down her ink stone. 

“Captain, why are you staring at me?”, third seat Maegawa finally asked, the subtle irritation in her voice easy to hear for someone like Kaname. 

“Stare at you?”, the Captain of the 9th asked incredulously, pointing at himself.  

“Well- You know what I mean-”, she fumbled. “The tension in the air is so thick you could cut it with a Zanpakutō. If you have a problem with me Sir, just tell me please”, the blonde Shinigami sighed, a tad annoyed. 

Interesting. Maegawa Asahi easily had her feathers ruffled it seemed. Well, as long as a Captain was involved. Tōsen had long noticed his subordinate didn’t particularly take a liking to him. But well enough, he preferred being direct. 

“I wanted to work with you because you’ve been bothering me”, Kaname stated honestly, laying down his brush.  

“Huh??”, apparently Asahi hadn’t expected him to be _quite_ that honest. 

“Hisagi’s sick leave gave me a perfect opportunity to observe you for a while- “ 

“Observe? You’re blind, sir” 

“I know, let me live a little”, Kaname retorted after being interrupted. “Besides, it’s not like I need to see to realize something is bothering you. What’s bothering _me_ is that you refuse to vocalize your concerns. Especially now that I’ve found something... unusual”, Tōsen listened to the floorboards creaking under Maegawa. She was shifting her weight; he had apparently hit the nail on the head. Well then, time to go on the offensive. 

“As you know from our last excursion into Boolean algorithms - that you dozed off in midway through mind you - I quite enjoy archiving. Since I inherited the 9th, I’ve been striving to get our archives and database immaculately sorted and organized. And while doing that I couldn’t help but notice an oddity in the files from a short time, maybe a few decades, before Kensei became Captain. ...I noticed that same oddity in your personal files, Maegawa”, Captain Tōsen’s tone was factual, if not suspicious. This issue had been bothering him for a while and he was going to get to the bottom of it. However, he wasn’t someone who would declare his underling guilty without even giving them a chance to defend themselves. 

As he started talking about the odd files, Maegawa inhaled sharply. Bingo. Even if she wasn’t the perpetrator, she most definitely knew something about the oddity. He could hear fabric straining. She was gripping her shihakusho. This was almost too easy, Maegawa’s body language was quite literally very loud. At least to him. Usually that was a sign for someone very honest.  

What an unusual case he had inherited from his former Captain. Kensei had managed to win her favour back then. Kaname still remembered the flusteredness in her voice. She used to be a very caring and humorous colleague. How times had changed, huh. Shūhei and the other members of the 9th still had a good relationship to her. As far as he knew, no complaints. Well, Hisagi tended to flusteredly complain about teasing, but that in turn was good fun for Kaname, so he hadn’t felt the need to bother his suddenly distant subordinate until now. Kempt files on the other hand were a more serious matter. 

“You’re my third seated officer and yet I rarely encounter you. We both know that’s because you’re avoiding me. I know you adored Captain Kensei, but I’m well aware that is not the reason for your disdain toward me. I served under him as well. With you. I remember how much you disliked our former captain in the beginning too. I conclude it’s not me ‘replacing’ Kensei then. No.. You have a disdain and innate distrust toward everyone in the position of Captain in the 9th division. And having found those files I’m starting to put things together”, Tōsen shared his deductions. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk, interlacing his fingers as he continued: “And that scar.. That spot of shattered spiritual pressure-” 

He was cut off before he could continue: “How do you know about that-”, Asahi’s voice was strained, the tension in her body was audible through it. Apparently, he had hit a sore spot there. Quite literally. 

“Well, you would have to be blind not to see it”, a hint of a bemused smirk curled the corner of Tōsen’s lips. “Or, I suppose, in this case you would have to be blind _to_ see it”, he hummed. “There’s a distinct disconnect in the flow of your spiritual pressure. I’m aware you’re trying to hide it, but the sever is too severe to erase it completely. ...And a sever so clean... If you were wounded, well, scarred this way by a fellow Shinigami and the files have been erased then-” 

“I’m fine!”, the table clattered as Asahi got up too fast. The sound of paper scattering resounded soon after. “If you don’t need me here for paperwork then-“, the tremble in her voice was almost pitiful. She was about to storm out, when Tōsen spoke back up: 

“...I had a sister once. We were nearly inseparable. ..She was murdered” 

“...I’m.. sorry for your loss. ..But that won’t keep me from leaving now, Sir”, Asahi clenched her fists audibly, but he didn’t yet hear a footstep. 

“...Her murderer still runs free. They were never convicted. I have to live with that... Rage... With that _injustice_ every day. Maegawa, if there was a Captain before Kensei.. a captain you trusted.. and they betrayed you.... ...I would rather add another burden to my own shoulders than having my third seat officer have to live with such grave injustice as well. I’m saying that not only as your Captain, but as Kaname Tōsen”, Maegawa’s Captain stated honestly. 

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a deep, shaky sigh, followed by two or three barely audible dripping noises. 

“Spirit’s Sake, what do you _not_ know? I thought I could bury this by avoiding you. ….But you see far more than I realized”, Asahi sat down and leaned against the backrest, audible by the creak it made. It was a sound of defeat for all he knew. The tension fading from her body enough to make her lean back meant she was mostly likely ready to finally talk to him. 

“I will always be there for my division. And you’re part of it. You can start relying on your Captain a little. We may not always see eye to eye, but people tell me I’m a great listener”, Kaname chuckled, his joke earning him a snort from Asahi. 

- 

...Why had she repeated the same mistake again? First him, then Kensei and now even Tōsen. Again she had put her trust in her Captain and in the end she was left standing alone. Another headstone added to her graveyard of treasured connections. Maegawa felt her eyes sting. Betrayal. Was that all she was ever going to get? 

“...Bastard” 

“Asahi.”, a calm voice resounded within her head. She could hear the concern in his voice. Just hearing it was enough to relax her again. ..She wasn’t alone in her grief anymore. 

“...It’s fine”, a small, relieved smile crept onto her lips as Maegawa dabbed at the corners of her eyes. 

“Let her wallow, she does that a lot when it comes to captains”, a feminine voice spoke up inside her head. “She usually doesn’t cheer up as quick. Maybe worry about her some more and this inner world will finally stop raining. There’s not a lot of shelter in here, you know?”, the voice huffed. 

Asahi’s lips curled into a smile. “...Right. Well, let me join you in the rain at least”, she chuckled, sword meditation always calmed her, perhaps she’ll take a break to indulge her treasured Zanpakutō. Maegawa put the stack of paperwork Shūhei had asked for on the captain’s desk.  

Her hand lingered on the wood. As with Kensei and the first, all that was going through her head when thinking of the Captain’s betrayal was...  

..Why? 

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I had a stupid idea and yeah

Wrestling as a form of affection

World's most irritable man and world's sneakiest little shit

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“You are a menace to society”, Akon stated as he turned to look at his collegial plight.

“As long as I’m a menace to you, that’s plenty”, Asahi retorted with a little grin he’d almost begrudgingly have to describe as cute.

Little oneshot I wrote at like 9 in the morning after re-reading @gallusrostromegalus lovely Maegawa and Akon have a chat about Tōsen- Piece

I felt like their dynamic kinda slaps and so this happened

The restraint I showed in not writing that one doorframe scene into a kabedon is near inhuman. The temptation was very much there.

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A Menace to You

The subtly flickering light of the screen illuminated the table and adjacent 3rd seat of the 12th. The even sound of trained hands rhythmically hitting keys filled the room with almost pleasant mechanical noise as he worked.

Until there was a disturbance. Not that Akon would be stopped by that, as he still continued to type.

His fellow 3rd Seat leaned onto the table with one hand as she shifted her weight forward a little to occupy an annoying amount of space in his bubble of personal space.

“Need you for the papers”, she stated briskly, having dropped the melodramatic prose (mostly) as they’d gotten closer, yet still tearing at his focus as her perfume of jasmine and bamboo invaded his nostrils additionally to his space.

Maegawa really had a way of establishing presence in a situation. Presence that was hard to ignore. And by the most-definitely-alive Soul King, he’d tried.

With a sigh, he felt himself compelled to reply. The sooner the situation was over, the earlier he could return to work undisturbed. “Can’t. Busy.”

With a hum that signalled him she definitely wasn’t letting him off the hook, Asahi leaned a little closer toward him. Using his shoulder to balance, as she took a look at his writing.

“Hey. No snooping at my work”, Akon warned, lightly nudging her back over to where she was leaning before.

“Huh? No fair, Minako is always snooping at your screen”, Maegawa complained, but did move her gaze from the screen to his face, subtly following what was asked.

The 3rd Seat of the 12th huffed and tried to focus back on the screen himself. “People who might understand it aren’t allowed”, he stated bluntly.

Which summoned a smug little smirk on Asahi’s face. “Aw, Akon, was that a compliment?”, the teasing tone of her voice was a tone he’d become rather familiar with during their now rather routinely coffee breaks together.

“Don’t you have work to do?”, Akon inquired sharply, very clearly wanting to get back to work in peace.

“Can’t. Need your statistics to finish”, Asahi leaned against his shoulder again, as if to nudge him to get a move on.

“Well, too bad I have my own annoying task I want to get done quickly”, the researcher stated harshly, trying to once again focus all his attention on his task at hand and ending the topic with that.

After a few moments of silence, the heaviest, most melodramatic sigh escaped Maegawa’s lips and she straightened out again. “Fiiine. I’ll wait by the door”, she admitted defeated and walked over to the lab entrance to lean against the door frame.

Akon stiffened, shoulders ever so slightly tensed. That wasn’t good. This meant whatever she’d pull next was most definitely going to be an annoyance.

As he went through the gibberish he’d been typing since Maegawa’s arrival, he could see her reflection on the side of the screen, due to the corridor backlight.

The moment he foolishly thought that maybe she really was just going to wait like a civilized person, the 3rd Seat of the 9th pulled a trick she’d apparently learned from Captain Matsumoto.

She reached into her cleavage and pulled out, to his auditory horror, a deck of cards.

You really can’t tell this woman anything.

But he was going to stand his ground. This time she wasn’t going to have her way just because she disliked waiting.

That resolve quickly crumbled the moment that dreadful shuffling sound tore at his unfortunate eardrums.

Gritting his teeth he tried to tough it out, but some things your very being just simply can’t stand.

With a lethargic sigh of pure annoyance, Akon got up.

And the shuffling ceased.

“You are a menace to society”, he stated as he turned to look at his collegial plight.

“As long as I’m a menace to you, that’s plenty”, Asahi retorted with a little grin so shimmery and proud of herself, he’d almost begrudgingly have to describe it as cute.

“Right, right. I feel so special”, he deadpanned as he approached the door frame, where Maegawa was still technically waiting.

As he passed her in the doorframe he couldn’t help but note her height. Most everyone in the 9th was taller than her. Heck, even he was taller than her.

Dealing with her he rarely noticed a difference though. Perhaps that’s what they called having a ‘big personality’.

“Why’d you need my help anyway? Can’t reach the upper shelves by yourself?”, he asked, just as nonchalant as before as he continued along the corridor.

There was a moment of silence, shocked silence he assumed, and he relished in it.

Shutting up Asahi was a feat. A good payback for the shuffling.

“You know I’m not allowed in the files of the 12th- You come back here right now and we see who’ll still be able to reach the upper shelves by the end of it!”, Maegawa barked after him, with little of the composure she usually displayed left in tact.

Mm. Revenge really was sweet. Especially with Asahi.

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I wanted to draw something for pride and somehow ended up at 'pan hair would look real funky'

So I put Maegawa'a flags into her hair

The Old and New Polyamorous Ones and some funky Pansexual flags

I get the meaning behind the old Poly one but the new one is just a lot more aesthetically pleasing

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Did anyone order drama? Because I have found some

The picture of what happened to Asahi becomes ever clearer

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Before I continue on the Surviving the Gōtei 13 Guide for Dummies, here's a pile of old Asahi related art for fun

1. The beautiferous Shiketsu Shio, where I was testing if drawing Water Hair is a thing I can do

2. Shūhei politely asking Asahi to leave after she messed with him (by throwing something)

3. Concepts of what she maybe looked like at the 11th and shortly after the thing

4. The cute moment from a thing I've written where Asahi asks Muramasa if he would like to stay with her at the end of my version of Zanpakutō Arc (he lives damn it- he lives and he's happy and I'm not crying you are)

5. Pretty Asahi and a guy, just some dude. Nothing bad is going to happen there for sure

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Asahiii, there she iiiiis

It's a rather quick ref sheet and definitely not done yet, but I got into traffic for a ridiculous amount of time and then I needed a few hours under a heated blanket. I was not made for winter.

I wrote a little snippet about her but it turned into more than I bargained for, so that's gonna follow somewhen this week- I started like a 'Surviving the Gōtei 13 for Dummies and I originally only wanted to write Asahi's entry but I ended up including Tōsen and Shūhei because they aggressively live in my head rent free

So yeah, head's up for that, for the juicy Asahi backstory and also the many ways in which this woman is a bleeding heart and an idiot

@gallusrostromegalus you're now my excuse to ramble about her, my apologies

But also, AEIWAM has inspired me and given my brain the britzies in just the right ways to finally get me to write and create again and pick up old Bleach things so an honest thank you from me in that regard- I've been aching to create but nothing could really motivate me for a while, but now I'm excited about things again:)

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Igarashi Akihiro and his rambunctious fiancée

I was struggling with his hairstyle for so long, until I decided to style his bangs after a frontal shot of a canine jaw. Bang teeth. Beeth. Hehe.

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Absolute galaxy brain, I loved this so much I had to draw it, I hope you don't mind:0!

As always, I couldn't decide between them so we're going true 'why not both' fashion

Inside me there are two kermits

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The Zanpakutō Arc is my favourite arc of the anime. 

Really weird pick, I know. But when I saw it for the first time when I was much younger I loved all the cool spirits, I’ve always been super in love with the concept of Zanpakutō and getting a look into what the spirits are for everyone was so cool.  

When I rewatched the Arc, I realized that I still very much love the arc, but for different reasons. Namely, the Antagonist, Muramasa. I love his motives, how he goes about stuff and his character. He might be my favourite character in all of Bleach and this is a filler arc. 

But as much as I realized my love for the antagonist, I noticed that the stories of the Zanpakutō Spirits, as well as the designs and what they’re like seemed... Very lacklustre. I get that it’s filler and character development or anything isn’t allowed but.. oof. 

This turned out rather long so the rest is under the cut, including Kazeshini mini-makeover!

So one day, I wanna rewrite that Arc and give it as much love as it deserves. Kind of a passion project that would take a shit ton of work, but the end product would be something I could not only enjoy and share, but look back on fondly for a very long time. 

When/if I do that there’s a few things I wanna do for it. 

We’re gonna play by AEIWAM (by @gallusrostromegallus, go look at the tag) rules.  

Bleach without mods is very hard to play after having experienced Aeiwam and I can’t go back anymore.

This would very much be just me joining the bandwagon of creators playing in Gallus’ sandbox of wonder, but Aeiwam is what got me back into Bleach and the world building is too gooddddd. So, Zanpakutō Arc would once again be more of a filler (though Gallus if you find anything in it that you like please feel free to pick and choose if I ever manage to write this) 

The Spirits need some serious make overs. 

 While some designs are cool, others are kind of uninspired and really do feel like filler. Some of the personalities are stereotypes pretending to be characters. The whole Haineko, Tobiume, Hyōrinmaru love triangle was kinda weird imho. Stuff like, just put a bit more autistic special interest spice in it, make it more funky. Spend actual quality time on the Zanpakutō spirits, their appearance, their characters and their relationships. Have more funky things like Itegumo the Avalanche (Courtesy of @gallusrostromegalus). Spirits like Hōzukimaru and Ruriirokujaku would are prime candidates f.E.

3. Muramasa deserves better.

For real. Did not deserve to turn into glitter after breaking himself over and over for his Shinigami. Absolute Love and Loyalty met with nothing but hatred. The guy stabbed him and broke the sword and Muramasa was still nothing but loyal.

Fun Fact: Maegawa's first appearance was in a story we later called Zanpakutō Stories: Stockholm Syndrome. Very good time.

Her powers were made specifically to be able to save him from death by getting the hollows out of him without hurting him.

Her name is a bit of a wordplay. Asahi, the morning sun of a new day. And especially Maegawa. Muramasa expresses multiple times to his Shinigami to leave behind the past and look forward. To move forward. Together.

Maegawa, roughly translated: forward river. Pretty on the nose, but I couldn't resist

Actual cool stories between Zanpakutō and Shinigami.  

The conclusion of almost all sub stories between Shinigami and Sword Spirits was kind of a let down. The arc started strong in that regard, but then everyone broke swords left and right and they fixed it at the end with Mayuri Special Clown Magic. The premise of losing your powers forever if you kill your Zanpakutō Spirit was very cool but eventually ignored and even subverted by the Shinigami starting to purposefully destroying the swords halfway through.  

It would be a lot cooler if instead of just defeating them in battle everyone has to properly engage their Zanpakutō spirit and work out whatever gripes Muramasa has drawn out and strengthened. 

In that same vein, here’s an example I was pondering for this arc. A prime suspect of both ?? Design and very very unsatisfying story conclusion: 

Kazeshini 

The design was always really out of left field for me. A rude, battle-hungry being of slaughter with random cloth for decency and a vaguely scythe like haircut. 

...And that’s... Shūhei’s Zanpakutō spirit? Shūhei from the 9th? Who doesn’t particularly enjoy bloodshed, is always ready to help others out and though trying to be edgy is actually very much a goof? That Shūhei?  

That never really clicked with me. 

I mean maybe it’s implied violent tendencies or some random blood thirst deep down but I never felt like we really had any proof for that with Shūhei himself. Though it might’ve very well have gone r/whoosh. I struggle retaining all the information sometimes.

But then I had a fun little thought. 

At his very core, I feel like Hisagi is someone whose just intrinsically helpful. He wants to help, to do whatever he can and to prove himself to others. 

He puts on a tough front and some people fall for it, but he’s actually extremely kind-hearted and a very hard worker. 

Why would his Zanpakutō spirit not share that trait? The trait that’s at his very core.  

Slaughter Demon Kazeshini is a front. A tough looking exterior from a Zanpakutō spirit that really just wants to help its Shinigami with all its heart. 

The moment I saw Shūhei’s Shikai for the first time I actually had to think of Naruto for a moment. And when I pondered what those scythes might actually look like my thoughts returned to that thought: Kamaitachi.  

("Kamaitachi" (鎌鼬) from the Kyōka Hyaku Monogatari by Masasumi Ryūkansaijin)

Kamaitachi are yōkai that resemble weasels with scythe-like front claws riding on dust storms. Now the version I’ve sketched is a ferret because I can’t keep my wiggly guys apart apparently, but also has the scythes more ferret-forearm-area. But Kamaitachi were the inspiration. 

So this little guy is giddy as all hells when the Shikai first happens. Finally he can help his shinigami!! He’ll do his best and they’ll be so cool together and- 

Shūhei looks at his blades in a mix of shock and repulsion. “They look like they reap life itself” 

He hates his shikai. 

Kazeshini is distraught. Why..? Why the hatred for their blades? Fear? He doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know _how to help_. But he wants to help! He needs to help! 

And then he gets an idea.

He needs Shūhei to hate _him_. Not the blades. He needs Shūhei to be stubborn, to use these blades and become stronger.  

So Kazeshini comes up with a plan. Shūhei doesn’t know his true form yet. He hasn’t seen the little ferret trying so hard to be a sword spirit he can rely on. And then Kazeshini does what he learned from Shūhei.  

He puts on a front.  

And that front is the rude Slaughter Demon Kazeshini, who never fails to infuriate Shūhei, to infuriate him to want to become stronger. To get Shūhei to show him that his blades can be used for more than death. 

Their Zanpakutō Arc story would be this little communication disaster falling in on itself and Shūhei finally seeing Kazeshini for what he really is and coming to terms with the blades (and himself in a way)

(The initial idea was that Kazeshini sees Hisagi's hatred for a part of himself (Hisagi hating Hisagi I mean) made manifest in the blades and decides to redirect Hisagi's hatred against his own soul toward itself to protect him, but since Zanpakutō spirits in Aeiwam work a little different I thought I'll need that overhaul that a little hehe)

But yeah, there we have it. This has been steeping in my brain soup for a very long time. But I really need to finish Maegawa Backstory before I start anything else haha

[japhgura]

Maegawa Asahi and her Zanpakutō Shiketsu Shio!

She's with the 9th division, sporting a nice tragic backstory of being stabbed in the stomach by her ex lover. Fun.

Did I create her powers with the goal to keep Muramasa alive? Maybe. Does Shiketshu Shio reset things to their natural state, like if someone had contact with a lot of hollows? Yes. Unrelated.