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recurring-polynya · 3 years

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Your thoughts and headcannons on Nemuri Hachigou because I don't think she gets talked about enough, when in reality she's pretty interesting, she's essentially, a blank slate, Mayuri's second chance that I don't think he feels like he deserves. She's Nemu but she isn't and I think people(especially Mayuri) forget that a lot, that's a fascinating position to be in.

Puttin’ this under a cut because I’m gonna say some unkind things about Mayuri and I do not want to cause any distress to the many lovely people on this website who delight in his horrible antics.

This is not so much a headcanon so much as a thing I came up with for fanfiction purposes, but it’s all I got.

Right. So, like I said, I despise Mayuri. I just hate him. I understand that he appeals to some people, but I strongly dislike the dude and go to exorbitant lengths to avoid him ever appearing in my fanfic.

Additionally, I do not vibe with Nemu 7. She registers as not-a-person for me, she’s basically an extension of Mayuri himself. Don’t get me wrong, I find Mayuri’s treatment of her to be vile and I wish someone would take her away from him, but she comes off as very robotic to me. She is conscious, but she is not an independent being, if that makes sense. She is not a real girl. It’s funny that Mayuri keeps talking about how advanced she is, because clearly he means only her cognitive and fighting abilities. In terms of recreating a person, she’s incredibly primitive compared to the other mod souls we see. Take Kon, for example, who has a fairly limited powerset, but is never presented as less of a soul than any of the other characters. An even more interesting example is Ururu and Jinta. Ururu is described as being older than Jinta, and she is clearly “less human” than him-- she has less affect, she shifts into a distinct “attack” mode, etc, which implies that Jinta represents advances in mod soul technology. It’s notable that Urahara and Tessai and even Renji, in the canon scene where he protects the Shouten kids, never treats them as anything less than people. The contrast with the way Mayuri treats Nemu is stark. He likes that her feelings and personality are limited, he sees this as a feature.

I was completely unmoved by the entire chapter where Nemu died. Her sacrifice did not come across to me as anything indicating growth or humanity-- in every battle she's ever been in, she nearly dies because Kurotsuchi tells her to. She simply prioritizes Mayuri over herself. She always has. It’s simply the logical extension of her programming. A lot of people say they would have preferred Nemu to live and Mayuri to die and for sure I would have *preferred* that, but I have never seen Nemu as enough of a character to be worth rooting for. Like, at least Uryuu would have gotten some satisfaction form killing his clown ass, and that might have convinced me for at least half a second that he actually was on the side of the Quincy.

Caveat: if some talented fanficcer wants to write a short novel on Nemu discovering her humanity etc etc, I’m all for it, I’m just saying that canon hasn’t given us anything to suggest she would do more than just shut down without Mayuri to tell her what to do.

Onto Nemuri 8. I can’t believe they let Mayuri have another one. It makes my blood boil. The dude is an on-screen abuser and Kubo had the gall to try to make me feel sorry feel him (I did not) and then gave him another one.

So, I took her away from him.

I mentioned earlier that I go to great lengths to keep Mayuri the hell out of my fanfic, and usually the way I do that is to have my characters go through Akon whenever they have to deal with Squad 12. I think I started doing this because Akon is sort of weirdly familiar with Renji and Rukia in the TYBW, but I have projected all over him and he’s mine now. The way I assume Squad 12 functions, based on my career in scientific programming, is that Mayuri is like a primary investigator-- he's the Big Ideas guy and he spends a lot of time doing wholly self-directed research. He’s the face of Squad 12, so he has to go talk to the Captain-Commander and beg for money and defend blowing things up, but when it comes to science stuff, he does what he wants. Nemu is the lieutenant, and I think she handles most of the usual lieutenanting-- paperwork, meetings, etc., but I think Mayuri takes up a lot of her time by using her as a personal lab assistant on his wacky projects. There's nothing wrong with this, but I think in a lot of squads, the lieutenant is responsible for the day-to-day running of the squad and spends a lot of time dealing with their subordinates and other lieutenants. Nemu, instead, focuses on her captain. Now, the rest of the Gotei counts on Squad 12 for a lot actually-- gigai, Hollow tracking, Dangai monitoring, etc. etc. From the point of view of most science people, this stuff is mundane-- it’s all application, not development, and all the difficulty is in the twitchy little details. It’s frustrating and it’s unrewarding and you never get credit for it, and it is vitally important. There is a certain kind of science professional that makes a career out of this. They usually have master's degrees instead of PhDs, and they are usually tragically underpaid and underappreciated for what they do. In the real world, without these people, you wouldn’t have mass vaccination sites or weather data on your phone or cute li’l robots landing on other planets. In Bleach, these are the people keeping soul reapers alive in the field. And in my mind, this is Akon’s department.

So here’s the headcanon:

After Nemu’s death, Mayuri has so much sad clown pain about it that he wants another robot child poste-haste, but can’t bring himself to do the actual work, so he shoves it off onto Akon, with a list of the design specs he wants. The last one was pretty good, Akon can handle a few minor upgrades, it doesn’t need his personal hand in it. Thinking about going through all that work again just pisses him off, honestly. What a waste!

And Akon's like, yeah, cool, fine. It was heavily implied that he did a lot of the work on Nemu 7, it's just a matter of digging out his old notes and cleaning out some vats.

Except that, right around the same time, Rukia and Renji decide to have a baby.

Babies are super rare in the Gotei, and it’s not like those stuffy nobles are gonna let Akon look at their precious offspring. But Rukia is a rank weirdo, and Akon is their pal, so she’s always like “I hear they have these things in the Living World where you can pee on a stick and tell if you’re pregnant, can you make me one?” and Akon’s brain goes, “Wow, what even is the first detectable sign of a newly formed soul, this is very interesting.” So, at the same time he’s trying to grow a new and improved Nemu, he’s got access to the developing fetus of two captain-class shinigami. So when he has to pick between eight good candidate embryos to move to the next vat, he picks… not the one with the strongest reiatsu signature, like they did last time, but the one whose reiatsu looks the most like a real baby.

Akon reminds me of a lot of programmers I know, so I always sort of headcanon him as particularly interested in whatever passes for programming in Squad 12, and I think he takes special interest in revamping Nemu’s artificial intelligence system, which is primarily based on taking in information about the world and building up a realistic personality based on people she observes. In particular, it gives extra weight to “people who resemble her”. Nemu 7 was raised by Squad 12, so she came up very Squad 12, just like Mayuri wanted. Unfortunately, toddler Hachigou Nemuri’s algorithm unexpectedly decides that she has much more in common with toddler Abarai Ichika than any of the adult soul reapers around her.

Nemuri 8 is a very successful sample in terms of power and intelligence but she’s also very boisterous, and the rest of Squad 12 is like “Akon do something” so Akon takes drastic measures: he asks Renji for parenting advice. Distressingly, Renji is full of useful ideas like “tire her out” and “only fight the important battles” and “we’re signed up for baby yoga, you wanna start comin’ to baby yoga? Your back is gonna thank you.”

Akon didn't mean to let them hang out so much, but Ichika is a very useful data point and also if he takes Nemuri over to the Abarai house, the girls will entertain themselves (i.e. chew on each other) long enough for him to have a beer with Renji and Rukia and honestly my man really needs that beer.

I don’t think Akon thinks of himself as Nemu’s dad past the first time when she calls him ‘Daddy’ and he corrects her (she only did it because that’s what Ichika calls Renji, very predictable quirk of her programming). She’s just a work project. She’s not even his project, she’s Mayuri’s project, he’s just handling the little details. Fathering just happens to be an adjacent field of study that he’s found to contain a number of very useful best practices.

I would prefer not to get into the detail of the physical abuse that Mayuri uses against Nemu 7, but I would like to think that Akon finds ways to protect Nemuri 8 from the same, or barring that, maybe this is what finally drives Akon to murder Kurotsuchi and become Squad 12 captain himself.

Other Nemuri Headcanons:

Her favorite book is Rejection of the Twin Fishes!, Captain Ukitake’s posthumously published children’s book.

She prefers to be called “Nemuri” over “Nemu.”

Nemuri’s second favorite person in Squad 12 after Akon is Rin, because he always has candy. Rin actually likes having someone to share his hobby with and helps her make a World of the Living Snack Bucket List. When other shinigami come in for gigai, Nemuri constantly tries to con them into bringing something back for her.

Rukia teaches her to cuss, but tells her never to do it around Akon. Nemuri never actually cusses around anyone, but really enjoys having Forbidden Knowledge.

Speaking of Forbidden, she is mildly obsessed with Urahara, even though she’s never met him. She’s constantly on the lookout for thumbprints of his work in modern Squad 12 technology.

The one thing she does have in common with Mayuri is an absolutely batshit personal aesthetic. She starts painting her face as a tween and is somewhat inconveniently both into piercings and inflatable outfits.

The true proof that she has surpassed her predecessor, at least in terms of humanity, is that she is able to learn the name of her zanpakutou.

Oh, if you want to read any of my fanfics with Nemuri, here's one where she and Ichika play football and here's one where she tries to con Byakuya into buying her shaved ice. I really like writing Nemuri hanging out with Byakuya because I think an adult man who navigates social settings via rigid system of etiquette and class hierarchy and a small child with a pile of Markov chains for a brain would be natural friends.

#nemuri hachigou

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littlenekosfan · 4 years

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Friend - visual narrative

this is going to be a long thread bc i have a LOT of panels, so read under the cut!

since im reworking with Friend chapters panels, i paid attention to the details more than ever before.. and wow, the way these chapters are narrated is absolutely amazing

lets start off with my one of my fav panels

if there is a theme between these two that keep recurring it’s “duality” (whether when it comes to their character or the way their story is told) we will also find a lot of parallels with it.. this panel above starts it very well, one left, one right, they both call each other’s name, the expressions completely different, even the background is reversed

there we go again, all this in one chapter, i simply love how they have the same pose/image but reversed, its a really nice contrast with how different they are and yet are at the same level also, look at their speech bubbles, most of the time, jugram has a round one while bazz a sharper one, its the case here and the previous panels aswell

AGAIN! kubo gives us each’s pov with the same image/paneling, i love that method bc he treats them the same, even if one is stronger than the other and ppl will most likely root for/side with one more than the other, they both get the same treatment, also, we get to see how both lives the same struggle, it both conflicts them this whole fight considering the past they had together

the transition is also really nice, the black background outside the panel and the partial grey shading that matches with it inside the panel.. we will get to see that technique again, but here?? lovely.

a whole page not showing their face even if you guessed who they were, you get that little surprise with the face reveal which comes out really nice

the chapter reveal!!!! its so pure and empty (no dialogue and it’s only one panel), it perfectly empathize on the title and its meaning

i love how discreet bazz motive to help out jugo is shown here, obviously none of them would speak about it (jugo is pretty closed and bazz despite being loud, he isnt obnoxious and he’s smart) so it had to be shown without any words and these panels do it so well!

the first panel is just so beautiful and you can tell how jugo is just, happy. and then, the moment his uncle speaks, his face drastically changes, from white to black, kubo loves to work with that contrast of b&w (just look how the ritters/espadas are dressed vs shinigamis.. there is also the sun/moon theme and so on... its not called bleach for nothing lmao) kubo uses contrast very often and we can tell he loves to do it (and he does it super well!!)

i know we dont have any colour on these pages, but both pages are from the same chapter, first one (right) being their fist meeting on a normal day (probably an evening so the sky is orange ish) and the second page is again a jump to a flashback but this time it’s not the sky that we are shown in the last panel, but rather flames, the same colour as the day they met... the two last panels look the same but arent....

there is also the absence of facial expression in some panels, which imo conveys the mood much better, we are not left up to interpretation, we clearly know what kind of feelings that are expressed yet they didnt need to be shown...

again with the parallels (left/right) and using the same image from younger to older to show their growth? nice.

the built up with the grand reveal... wow, love it, also, that panel was such a surprise to me when i first read it... still give me goosebumps today ngl..(if you are a manga reader to likes to have the book, well, this the end of vol69... what an ending :))) just look at the build up, the bg is dark and you get that white and empty panel right after like, wow

AGAIN WITH THE SUPRISE AND WOW IT HURTS, also the title being in capital... OOF, im going to loose it

ppl like to call kubo lazy with his titles, but is it?? i mean, here, i really cant think of a better title, remember how the first chapter friend was introduced? so sweet and smooth and then you get this... the fact friend is written here is a good call back to their relationship, what it is, what it really means, and the current situation

the way bazz recalls all the things he had heard about this.......th-that hurts (we’re like in his mind, we’re just as shocked as he is) also, it shows well how bazz recall all these moment in silence and does all the realization without saying a thing, bc no, he didnt say a thing ever since yhwach started to talk..

the left panel is yhwach talking (as he was for like the whole chapter) and there is no dialogue going on, the two boys didnt say a thing... as the slience was taking place, bazz breaks is with a shrieking voice, just looking how the letters are written in japanese, we went from pure, clear panel to a messy and dark one....

jump back to present, with both jugrams having the same pose but they both don’t convey the same feeling, with the shading and how cut it is (not being able to fully see jugo’s eyes) you can tell the first one is more disturbing/devastating than the second one

there we go... we get to see both of their expression at the same time and it change within the following panels,.. (im telling you, kubo love both of them, not just one.., both.)

this is one of my favorites moments, the way know bazz has lost his fight and how HE is self-conscious about it..., the way he monologues about jugram is really depressing, and how we are only given images that illustrates his struggle...the images are so strong, desperate and yet, his words are so empty, powerless, he knew he lost.. (the moment i start reading it, i cry on the fucking floor)

i mentioned earlier how i loved kubo’s choice in not showing the face, well we have it here again in a flashback and the end of the fight... jugram turning his back to bazz, he did it in the past and did it after bazz’ death.. it’s his way to avoid to face his feelings. (the fact we are shown he did it in the past and the reason to it, let us know why he did it again even later)

here again with empty panels, the fact it’s only bazz who is talking.... feels really heavy and the way he clings to jugram with burning hands....... you really need to look at every panel carefully to feel that heart wrenching moment,, there is no crying or screaming, he just softly admits his defeat and that’s it, like, im sorry but that’s fucking sorrowful

here again with kubo choosing to not show the face, but in this case, it’s harder for us to tell which expression jugram has (since he’s so closed about showing emotions or his intentions) but the fact kubo deliberately chose to hide it proves jugram has something to hide from us, something he didnt want us (readers) to see.........

these panels? concludes their story perfectly you have jugram walking up the stairs leaving bazz-b alone laying behind, being reminded of the day they met where bazz was the one standing high while jugram is on the ground the setting: the cold empty castle during nighttime vs the warm summer day met in a forest at daytime bazz reached to jugram and jugram left him behind, they met with touched hearts only to leave with empty ones, bazz used to look down on jugram and now, jugram does, they used to be so different and still do but only now, their role are inverted...

thank you @equipollency for that remark! i think your post does it much better if yall wanna read it !

i mentioned earlier how the background (outside the panel) would change from black to white, we know the black means the past, but i love how its broken here, going back and forth from the past and present (within the same page) to show how things are still the same between them, the same struggle, the same fight over and over

also, the “not yet” is just so perfectly placed, i cant, it just emphasize even more on my point earlier (how things between them never changed on that matter) and it finally concludes the flashbacks (with the way it’s presented: the b&w,, and the words themselves, how they weight so much)

the black shading like that is rarely used with kubo but when he does, you know it conveys extreme emotions (we didnt get to see it with bazz bc it wasnt as intense as jugram has it but also) the trigger to these emotions for jugram are related to trauma, the first one being his uncle and the second being his friendship (im not calling his relation with bazz traumatic, its how important this relationship was to him and how ended up broken that triggers him)

but NaKi ThErE iS ThiS pAneL wHerE baZz Is ShaDeD bLacK! yes i know, but it’s not about bazz expression nor emotions, its about the scene, the situation (the white bg vs the black silhouette: perfect), so no it doesnt count, but its still a very nice panel just like with the jugo’s reveal with everyone “kneeling” to him.. white bg was The way to go

i forgot to talk about how i like their fight, how there is so little dialogue and how there are a lot of empty pages just to let place to the fight... it lets you enjoy their fight while we suffer with their flashback, anyways, im not a fan of endless dialogue in fights unless it really changes something, here, they both already know each other and they know what they want, so it was a good pick to just, us reader, witness their story through their mind instead of them narrating/recalling it to us

i know kubo uses that technique outside of these chapters, but the grey shading... i love.. he also has a LOT of close ups with eyes bc we all know how expressive eyes are;... i love that too

i know i talked about some facial expressions, but really, kubo’s art is amazing, the way he can convey certain expressions that are so precise... here, have some panels that i think are underrated naki your boys are underrated.. bc i love kubo’s art so much

i had the chance to see the colored version only once, and to be honest, the black and white is just, Amazing. nothing close to that, kubo’s use of b&w and how he keeps his panels pure is MADE to stay that way

anyways, im really in love with how Friend was made and thought out in it’s visual narrative (and story wise too ofc), kubo didnt just do a side story, these chapters are fucking amazing and ppl often ignores that sadly..

#bleach #jugram haschwalth #bazz b #Friend #naki using her brain #ok so tumblr was a dick and deleted some part of that fjhdf #i hope i didnt miss anything...#oh well #guess ill just add it later lmao #im simping hard for these chapters yes shut up

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eyecicles · 6 years

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Thoughts on canon vs fandom treatment of female characters? Like the source material not having much in the way of female characters in general (at least relatively in the sense that I can count significant/developed female characters on one hand compared to the much larger number of important male characters) and how that translates into fandom treatment of female characters (misa and kiyomi being treated like shit in fanfics, ect). Sorry this is vague I just like your spicy opinions lmao

That’s a very interesting question! …Also a topic I’m very careful with but I do have some thoughts I would like to share nonetheless.

I completely agree that it’s quite obvious that Ohba cares more about the development of his male characters, about making them more unique in their motivations. Large parts of Death Note are about Light manipulating people (not about being accidentally successful and smart because of his ~magical powers~, that’s such an annoying take, honestly). And when you look at how he treats female characters, starting with Yuri, later Naomi, then Misa, Rem and Kiyomi, it becomes pretty clear that both he and Ohba always use the same tactic. Yes, because while writing a sexist character doesn’t make you or your story sexist per se, it’s just the sad truth that Ohba wrote it that way for a reason. (From what I’ve heard about his other works, DN is comparatively mild in the sexism department though)

If you compare that to the much more complex ways Light manipulates male characters, you can see very easily how they’re more developed by default. Not only has Light a much harder time with them, he evades characters like L and Near or even Aizawa, who isn’t a certified genius, by, well, not getting caught until the end.

Actually, I think it’s pretty interesting how characters deal with the fact that Light is Kira. The only female character who figures out his identity on her own is Misa, and she mostly manages that due to her special powers (the Shinigami eyes). Of course Misa is never praised for that and she’s routinely portrayed as dumb, while most of her character is about her obsession with Light… which only poses a problem for a few chapters.

Very popular fanon but fanon nonetheless: Naomi figuring out Light is Kira. She didn’t; Light told her himself and she’s in fact more than a little shocked by it, and of course, already doomed when she finds out the truth.

Kiyomi is told as well, and she’s a Kira supporter anyway, in love with Light, and relatively easy to manipulate - even though we see her struggling with being ordered to kill people. What’s apparently more of a problem is her questioning Light about Misa, but really, he’s mostly just annoyed and her jealously is something the narrative actively makes fun of (confirmed by Ohba himself).

And I agree that that’s mostly why the fandom finds it so easy to reduce especially Misa and Kiyomi to romance- or sex-obsessed dumbasses who are basically only there to be annoying. I wouldn’t defend that kind of treatment ever, but yes, it’s obvious where it comes from.

It’s more mild with Naomi, and Rem might be the only female character whose motivation is her love for another female character, but most of the main female characters have one thing in common: their character arcs being about love. Compare that to main male characters, and you can tell that the narrative treats love and romance as a “woman thing”. (Even Matsuda, who does show interest in romance, gets a surprisingly interesting and even touching arc. His character is mostly about being painfully average (painfully is the keyword here: the narrative shows much less pity for our average women, actually; they aren’t necessarily average, just not as much as smart as Light which is treated as given), about seeking recognition, about being bitterly disappointed by the person he trusted (Light) and his final moments with Light are ridiculously intense and well-written.)

(Soichiro isn’t motivated by personal love per se, but his “blindness” for who Light really is treated as something tragic and relatable. Soichiro dies, yes, but he’s seen almost as a hero for his strong morals and love for his son. Not comparable to Misa and Kiyomi at all.)

I indeed can’t count the fics where female characters only made an appearance to show the reader how much dumber, or even more evil, they are compared to Light’s love interest (which is usually L or a female OC). And while I don’t see Misa as just a victim of Light, it’s disgusting how people take what those characters are mainly about and make it (+ their personalities) worse than they were in canon. Instead of, you know, giving them more agency. It’s fanfiction, guys, they don’t have to be an obstacle for your ships if you don’t want to. Considering that Light shows no real interest in them either way, I find it even more arbitrary to write them that way.

Even though I’m used to see that kind of treatment, since I’ve been in fandoms for almost 15 years, it still shocks me how nasty and spiteful people can be about characters like Misa and Kiyomi. I rarely see male characters treated like that in fanfics, even when the general fandom opinion about them is a negative one. (The exceptions are unlikeable, ugly, comic relief kind of antagonists like Demegawa)

The fandom can be wildly different depending on where you look; on websites like YouTube or Reddit, it’s definitely more difficult to find people who like them, or people who at least try to see past that one trope the fandom likes to reduce them to. I’ve seen people making fun of their deaths or writing their own gruesome deaths for them, I’ve seen people praising Light to no end while hating Misa for being a serial killer.

While on tumblr, I often see the exact opposite of that. I wouldn’t say it’s just as bad, obviously not, but it’s still worth discussing, I think. It makes a lot of sense to try and make characters like Misa, Kiyomi, Naomi, Sayu, or Rem more intriguing and complex. I absolutely love what “Those” did to Kiyomi for example; it shows very clearly what we could have had with a better (or at least less sexist) writer than Ohba.

But if I’m being completely honest, what I’m not a fan of, is people completely taking everything about a character to make them something they’re 100% not. It’s one thing to make someone more complex, but something quite different to make Misa a feminist and mere victim who only pretended to like Light. I guess that’s partly a personal preference, but something about making a female character just a victim, when they’re canonically not, is a bit… icky to me. I think we can treat Misa with more compassion than Ohba did without making her a mere victim.

And some goes for Naomi; her indeed being tricked by Light, her being naive, yes, even in “Another Note”, doesn’t make her less sympathetic or cool. It often feels like we want to put female characters on a pedestal just so we can allow ourselves to stan them just as much as the male main characters.

I can’t see why Light is allowed to be a complex serial killer you can love or hate, while Misa isn’t. It’s telling how even people who like Misa often seem to feel the need to make her an angel, while Light fans often find it more easy to accept that he’s a bastard indeed. (There are Light apologists as well, but they at least rarely try to reduce him to nothing more than a puppet who got screwed over big time)

Even when female characters are very well-written and developed, like Discworld characters, the fandom often scrutinises them way more harshly than the male ones. But yeah, having a distinct difference in the writing of male vs female characters in a story… definitely makes the fandom react in more extreme ways.

I would actually love to read more Misa, Naomi and Kiyomi centric stories where they’re allowed to keep their flaws while getting the development Ohba never gave them. And your ask reminded me that I can, want and should write stories like that too, haha.

#answered #anon #death note #misa amane #kiyomi takada #naomi misora #rem #meta

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godkilller · 5 years

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VERSE: THIRD SEAT

QUICK INFO

name: Ichimaru Gin nicknames: Hypponzashi, kid prodigy, creep age: Less than 50 occupation: Senior Officer, Third Seat of the Fifth Division location: Squad Five’s Barracks activities: Shinigami duties including leading the Fifth Division’s sub-unit Intel Team, fulfilling mission reports, and protecting the World of the Living from threats of Hollow and other anomalies, however, his treasonous activities involve direct opposition of those duties, and ultimately Gin favors actions requested of him via Aizen reputation: Genius prodigy, “creepy kid”, known for his “hundred-span” range likening him to a child carrying 100 swords, able to fell multiple enemies in a single strike

OVERVIEW

Gin resides within the Fifth Division’s barracks as a seated officer of the Gotei 13. As Third Seat, Gin holds a reasonably high amount of authority despite his young age. Before even entering the Shinigami Academy, Gin showcased his ruthless potential in the slaying of three Shinigami who were secretly operating throughout the Rukongai districts in Aizen’s favor. Without a weapon, Gin killed each soldier, donned a bloodied black robe upon his shoulders, and declared himself prepared to become a Shinigami himself. In promising Rangiku that his rise in rank would “fix things” for her so she “wouldn’t have to cry anymore” Gin swiftly entered the Academy in order to achieve his goal.

Immediately, Gin broke all known records and graduated from the program within one year. His feat remains unchallenged, and Gin was quickly accepted into the Gotei 13 to become a high-ranking officer----a rare honor not lightly given, let alone to a child. Gin was taken in by the Fifth Division under Hirako Shinji, with Aizen Sousuke as his Lieutenant. Whilst Gin did indeed follow any order placed by Shinji via his rank as captain presiding over the entirety of the division, Gin ultimately followed Aizen’s will above all else. Together, alongside Tousen Kaname, Aizen and Gin ventured through the lesser Rukongai districts in order to continue conducting Hollowification research and other traitorous experimentations.

Gin stood by Aizen’s side as he manipulated, lured, and overall toyed with the now-known Visored group, as well as created the narrative that brought Urahara Kisuke, Shihoin Yoruichi and Tsukabishi Tessai to become exiled. Witnessing various Hollowification tests by the time Shinji’s group fell before him, Gin remained fairly numbed to the gruesome process, even cracking a few casual jokes about getting caught when Urahara arrived in the midst of their treason. Though Gin was known as more than capable of handling multiple enemies at once, hence his nickname, he was not ordered to battle against the hybrid Shinigami at the time of their Hollowfying mishaps----instead, the boy looked on beside Aizen whilst Tousen issued Aizen’s will to destroy them.

In roughly a decade or two following Aizen’s eventual replacing of Shinji’s captaincy, Gin became trusted enough to be told Kyoka Suigetsu’s one weakness: to touch the blade before an illusion is cast negates its ability to do so, allowing an attack to hit true. Knowing that vital piece of information, Gin gathered his strength and trained to become strong enough for Bankai, strong enough to match Aizen’s spiritual pressure to avoid possible cancellation, to one day pierce a blade through his heart.

PERSONALITY

Utterly ruthless, Gin presents himself as undeserving and wholly an exception to any childlike treatment given by his older Shinigami allies. He walks as an ‘other’, an outsider, a wolf in sheep’s clothing----if the sheep were to be an innocent kid. Though Gin retains some humanity purely due to his facade being in its early stages of development, he ultimately smothers that side of himself in favor of brutal and chilling indifference to other’s suffering. There’s a forced numbness, a cold carelessness, faked until it’s no longer felt. Gin speaks bluntly to even authority, untamed in his quick wit and tongue. Still retaining the loner lifestyle from the Rukongai ( with one exception ) Gin has next to no real connections despite being a reputable high-ranking officer of the Gotei 13. The boy trusts no one and is solely focused on gaining Aizen’s eventual trust----leading him to gladly murder without remorse.

There’s brewing bitterness right beneath his skin, and Gin blames the very organization that he pledged loyalty to for failing to see the traitorous plot he’s partaking in. Hypocritical, yet aware, Gin marches alongside Aizen in hopes that his proximity, earned trust, and overall observance gives him better results than the Gotei 13′s futile attempts to protect against a threat from within. Extremely sharp, a viciously quick learner, Gin has begun to mold himself into the perfect weapon for Aizen to wield----free from the cloud of guilt, mercy, and most importantly any emotions of love. Gin has determined that it’s necessary for him to shed all layers of his humanity in favor of becoming a monster capable of terrible evils... condemning himself, his future, for the sake of what could only be described as divine vengeance.

STRENGTHS

A child-genius, prodigy, Gin easily has earned the right to boast of his higher intellect----holding the record for the fastest graduation from the Shinigami Academy in a single year, quickly followed by the immediate acceptance into the Gotei 13′s army. Newly acquired power aids Gin in his vicious ascension in rank as a Shinigami, and experimentation leads the boy into finding numerous creative ways to wield his Zanpakuto, Shinso. By testing out his growing potential, Gin has quickly carved himself quite the nasty reputation for being capable of slaying multiple enemies in a single strike. Typically practiced upon Hollow, the boy’s hands have grown accustomed to the jolting impact of impaling his blade through flesh, muscle, and bone.

Gin conveys a considerable amount of patience for a child when considering his plot to kill Aizen stretched well past a century. Within a decade or two, he’s already been given a vital piece of information to be seared into his memory.

Thanks to his still-growing spiritual pressure, Gin is capable of perhaps even incapacitating others if they harbor low or no reiatsu of their own to counteract his. Sitting just beneath a Lieutenant in capabilities, his physical size as a child should not be used to determine his strength----he may be seen as reliant on his sword, but then again he doesn’t seem to ever be in a situation where he could be rendered weaponless by an opponent.

WEAKNESSES

Though Gin holds his rank in power, genius, his age prevails in moments of naivety. No matter his attempts to remain emotionless, as well, the fresh facade of his creation still may be shattered with the correct pressure. There is ignorance, an uncaring for others that potentially brings him to dismiss friendships, allies, that could offer him help. Isolated, Gin threatens to corner himself into an irreversible role of villainy. His resolve to stick to his promise can become, as such, utterly stubborn and self-destructive as a result. As a child, however, his value of keeping his vow overcomes any hope of growing from the experience----instead, it forces him to hyperfixate on an event that could have been, and perhaps should have been, left in the past.

Gin can become extremely distracted by Rangiku, causing him to miss meetings, forget paperwork, or even not hear someone who happens to be speaking to him at the time of her mentioning or appearance. Compensation for this flaw leads Gin to leave the vicinity if she’s nearby, though that tends to cause equal amounts of issue.

The kid banks on others not particularly liking him from the get-go in order to avoid prolonged conversation, confrontation, or skepticism----so his early years of lying to authority’s face, or an adult in general, can at times come off as not particularly convincing. Gin attempts to own that fact by merely grinning and delivering his lies all the same. A spit to the face of anyone capable of determining his words as untrue; if pressured, Gin will not be able to defend his stance on the matter.

A facade in its infancy is extremely and terrifyingly fragile.

APPEARANCE

Relatively tall for his age, skinny, and with sharp features ( wrists, chin, jaw, etc. ) Gin’s appearance speaks of his likely state of undernourishment growing up in the Rukongai. His key traits noticed by others are his silver hair, stunning blue eyes ( in the case of a rare reveal ) and his ever-present grin. Gin will almost always be wearing his Shinigami uniform composed of entirely black robes, white tabi socks, and sandals. His wakizashi-sized Zanpakuto, Shinso, may or may not be at his side depending on the Gotei 13′s current regulations on their soldiers openly carrying their weapons, though Gin has been known to stretch the rules.

Generally, he could be considered sickly to some extent—-due to growing up in an environment where food wasn’t always available. Gin appears at the average male’s mid-torso in terms of height in relation to the adults that tower around him. His signature silver hair, short, straight, messily covers his forehead and temples, highlighting his typically unopened eyes and sharp, pale overall demeanor.

ALL THIRD SEAT VERSE CONTENT: - HEADCANON & ROLEPLAY POSTS - MUSING POSTS

#[ verse: third seat ] and from that mouth that devours i cry out to you #[ about: third seat ]#oof why am i doing this to myself this is so much work and maybe like 3 people are gonna reference these pages fOR INFO WHY #EDBRFTNGVK #nah nah i know why.#it's for me.#i want to be Organized my lads.#long post /#[ about ]

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kazashiniwielder · 6 years

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The Bleach movie

So I went out to see the new Bleach movie today. I have a few mixed feelings about it. Overall my first impression was cheesy acting and a rush to get what all they felt was important to the narrative. However as the movie went on I found myself enjoying it. For a live action remake it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing either. It was overall alright. There were somethings I like, and some I hated. I’m putting them under the cut here, so if you’ve seen the movie or don’t mind spoilers you can see it.

Major Spoilers under the cut.

Things that I liked, because if I start with what I hated then we’ll all have a bad day.

1. Isshin. Isshin was amazing in this movie. I loved that he was actually being a dad. Yeah, he attached Ichigo like he had in the series, but he cooked for his girls, he sat by Ichigo’s bedside when he was injured and nursed him to health, he talked to Ichigo, and overall he was great. I think my favorite moment of his and probably the most relatable was where he sat in front of his wife’s grave and pulled out a beer to share with her.

2. Uryu. Uryu was a snarky little shit and while he didn’t like Shinigami that didn’t keep him from helping Ichigo. They changed the order of when Ichigo met other characters, having him meet Renji first before Uryu. Recognizing Ichigo was in trouble, Uryu showed up and chased Renji off without showing himself. This gave Renji a little more animosity towards him for shooting at him, and he also recognized Uryu as a Quincy instantly. Uryu also seemed to know more about the Soul Society than he had in the series, knowing Renji by name an even directing Ichigo to Kisuke Urahara. Uryu had done much more research on the Soul Society in this movie. He also was clearly an able fighter, coming to Ichigo’s aid during his battle with Grand Fisher. Uryu and Ichigo didn’t really have that much tension in the movie. Uryu mainly just showed up to annoy him, then help him, and go off again. On a side note, Rukia knew exactly what a Quincy was on sight too.

3. Ichigo’s fighting abilities, rather lack of. Ichigo killed the first hollow through the art of surprise. However he didn’t just leap into fighting hollows afterwards. Rather Rukia made him train for a while until circumstances forced him to face both a Quincy and Shinigami. When Ichigo finally fought his second hollow he nearly got killed and was saved by the timely arrival of Renji, and he was saved from Renji by Rukia. Then when he fought Grand Fisher he had to team up with Uryu to win. I found it much more realistic. There was much more training in this movie for Ichigo to get up to the level of the other characters, who we already knew have been training to fight for the majority of their lives.

4. The fact you can see the exact moment where Renji developed a level of respect for Ichigo.

Things I hated about this movie.

1. Sado and Orihime. Before any of you jump down my throat, let me make it clear I’m not mad that they are in the movie, rather the treatment they received in the movie. I understand that this movie was trying to put the entire first arc in a small movie and therefore didn’t have the time to develop them in the least. It just makes me so angry that if you took the two of them out, the narative wouldn’t have changed a bit. It fells like they were there just to be there. Orihime’s main role in the movie seemed to be getting envious of Rukia’s closeness with Ichigo and Sado just stood around watching. He only did one thing in the entire movie. They didn’t have any abilities and couldn’t even see what was going on. They deserved a little better.

2. Byakuya and Renji. When Byakuya and Renji were first introduced in the manga/anime, I hated them. I didn’t actually start to like either of them in the least until they were in Hueco Mundo. In this movie Byakuya was content to use Rukia to deal with Grand Fisher and just allow her to die afterwards. He had no problems killing Ichigo either. He and Renji had literally just showed up to upset Rukia and Ichigo, then leave them to fight Grand Fisher, then when they were exhausted and recovering they strike. There was one time in the theater where everyone of us watching reacted at the same time to something, an that was Renji running Uryu through from behind. Everyone gasped, a kid started screaming, and the guy next to me got super pissed, cussing up a storm. Renji had given Uryu no warning, just walked up behind him and ran him through. Renji and Byakuya both actually looked happy about the suffering they were causing and neither had any issues hanging around in the human world for who knows how long until Rukia and Ichigo took care of Grand Fisher.

Things I’m not fully sure about

1. The rearranging of events. I could explain how they rearranged them, but I think I already spoiled enough. I don’t like how some things were rearranged but I understand that they had to spin a shorter narrative.

2. The ending. It was set up in a way that it can either end there or they could make a sequel. Ichigo returns Rukia’s powers, mostly by force, and watches as her and the others leave. He wakes up at home and starts a normal day. Goes to school to see Keigo, Orihime, and Tatsuki gossiping about him where Sado is listening, and sits at his desk. We see he’s surprised to see Uryu, since the last any of us say him he was unconscious on the ground after being attacked by Renji, and asks if he’s ok. It ended in a way that we can just assume there will either be a second where he runs off to save Rukia, or that life had just returned to normal.

3. Ichigo killing Grand Fisher. I kinda liked it better when Isshin killed Grand Fisher but I don’t see much wrong with Ichigo being the one to kill him

Anywho, that’s how I feel about it. What did you all think?

#bleach #movie #live action #spoilers

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creative-type · 7 years

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The Problem with Ichigo Kurosaki

Back when Bleach’s final chapter came out, the one thing that perplexed me most about the omnishambles that was the last arc was that Ichigo had taken over the Kurosaki clinic.

I’d long-since given up on a satisfying end to the series and was following out of morbid fascination more than any sort of interest. I’m not a shipper and the glacial pacing and empty pages killed any spectacle that might have been entertaining enough to cover the massive flaws of the series. I entered the Quincy arc with no expectations and still managed to be surprised by how little thought and effort Kubo put into his product. There was no personal investment left, so I didn’t care enough to get upset over how things ended up.

But Ichigo taking over his father’s clinic...that was a surprise. And through that I came to a startling realization that after almost 700 chapters and 15 years I still knew nothing about Ichigo as a character.

I want to be careful when writing this, firstly because as a self-admitted filthy casual I’m not nearly as familiar with Bleach as I am with most other things I write about. Secondly, while it’s a nice bonus I don’t think that every story necessarily requires a deep, super nuanced character driving it.

I’m gonna use One Piece as an example here because I think it fits well. Luffy isn’t a complicated dude. He’s well-rounded with clearly defined dreams and goals, but ultimately he’s your basic Shonen power fantasy. What sets One Piece apart from almost every other manga in existence is its world building, and by creating Luffy the way he is, Oda has made a main character that facilitates the exploration of his world.

Ichigo starts off well enough for the protagonist of a monster of the week-style battle manga. I think it’s pretty apparent that Kubo wrote Bleach by the seat of his pants, because a lot of early details don’t match what we see later in the series.

...

And, again, this type of writing can be done, but it has to be done carefully because without forethought it’s really easy for plots and characterization become a muddled mess.

Early Ichigo stood out from other mainstream manga protagonists. There’s a mature edginess to early Bleach, and a strong aesthetic that highlights one of Kubo’s greatest strengths as an artist: drawing really cool shit. Ichigo isn’t a hyperactive goofball, in fact he gets pretty good grades and is generally regarded as being a reliable - if grumpy - guy. His backstory isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but again, having a main character that’s hellbent on protecting others is exactly the sort of protagonist that can drive a monster of the week-style story.

More importantly, at this point in the story Ichigo has agency as a character. In chapter 2 of the series, Rukia demands that Ichigo fulfill her duties as a soul reaper while she’s out of commission. He initially says no, but quickly changes his mind when he sees a cute kid almost get eaten. Ichigo agrees to help, but on his own terms. In his own words, he’s only paying off a debt.

Fast forward to chapter 25. Ichigo has survived his encounter with Grand Fisher and had a nice little heart to heart with his dad. He makes the above declaration, effectively choosing to continue on as a soul reaper even after Rukia regains her powers and his “debt” is paid.

What makes the Grand Fisher fight effective is that it highlights how much growth Ichigo needs to undergo, not as a fighter but as a character. It is vitally important for a battle manga not to have fights for the sake of fights, or even because they’re demanded by the plot. A good fight conveys story and develops characterization - a clash of ideals as much as swords.

The problem is that this doesn’t really go anywhere. Ichigo’s gotta protect them all nature suits shorter, one-off arcs but isn’t suited for the long, sprawling epic Bleach would become. The scope of Bleach’s world and story expanded, but Ichigo stayed the same. Or rather, he devolved into something lesser.

Ichigo’s goal to protect those he cares about is problematic in two ways:1) it requires someone to need protecting, and 2) it’s reactionary. This limits how much influence Ichigo has on the plot as a whole. It’s no wonder that the Arrancar saga is copied wholesale from the Soul Society arc because rescuing people from danger is literally the only thing Ichigo ever shows interest in doing.

Instead of taking the time to develop Ichigo as a person, Kubo instead has to create increasingly-ridiculous ways for him to play a part in the plot. This has the unfortunate side effect of making Ichigo literally everybody’s pawn to be used and manipulated in whatever way it takes for the story to get from Point A to Point B. I would think by the time Yhwach comes around he’d be sick of it, but all Ichigo is capable of doing is react, react, react, often looking very surprised when someone plays him like a fiddle yet again.

And maybe to compensate Kubo gives Ichigo a mishmash of powers and abilities, but ironically the more things that are added to Ichigo’s moveset the less unique and special each one becomes.

It’s kind of like mixing colors. Red and blue together make purple but if you add yellow and green and orange along with it, in the end all you’re going to have is a brownish sludge. Ichigo starts the series as a human-shinigami hybrid. For the sake of brevity, I’ll call this version of Ichigo a humigami. As a humigami he has basic swordsmanship, immense spiritual power, and the ability to follow spirit ribbon thingies to find people. So far so good.

But with the introduction of the Soul Society and the massive influx of characters, Ichigo is no longer The Special. Kubo has two choices here: further develop Ichigo’s shinigami powers or add something new into the mix. Kubo elects to do both, and Ichigo gains his hollow masks AND learns bankai in a matter of days.

Now a human-shinigami-hollow (humagollow for short), Ichigo saves the day only to get curb-stomped by Aizen. The post-Soul Society chapters would have been a good place to do some old-fashioned character development, but while there is some nice closure chapters nothing really changes before the next major arc kicks in.

Put yourself in Ichigo’s shoes here. You’ve gone through the gauntlet to save a friend from her execution, witnessed the slums of the afterlife, fought several life or death battles against an organization who keeps, among other things, genocidal maniacs in their employ. You’ve seen corruption, you’ve seen conspiracy, you’ve seen a totalitarian regime that insists on following the letter of the law over common sense and justice. You’ve lived your entire life striving to protect those weaker than yourself and the last several months sending spirits to what you thought was a peaceful, idyllic afterlife.

Would you leave the Soul Society in good terms? Would you consider them allies and fight their wars? Would you be okay with leaving your friend, who you risked life and limb to save, in the very environment that wanted her dead just days before? Would you not have questions and demand answers?

Apparently not, if you’re Ichigo Kurosaki.

Fast forward again to the introduction of the arrancar and visored. It’s about this time where Ichigo loses everything that made him unique as a character. A whole host of characters are introduced that have a mix of shinigami and hollow powers (which, despite ostensibly being antithetical to one another are functionally identical) and it’s revealed that Ichigo isn’t even the only shinigami in his family.

Isshin’s fight verses Grand Fisher becomes especially egregious when we the audience get this little tidbit about how all high-level shinigami compress their sword’s spiritual power into a smaller form

because back when Ichigo first showed off his bankai one of the notable things about it was that it was kind of tiny - a direct contrast to how most releases worked.

It’s the same for all of Ichigo’s other attacks. His bankai is supposed to boost his speed to incredible levels, but he’s constantly out maneuvered by enemies, the surprise attack from behind being a Kubo specialty. His main ability is nothing but a giant energy slash, easily replicated by a shinigami’s kido or a hollow’s cero.

By having Isshin steal the Grand Fisher fight from Ichigo, Kubo robs his main character of a chance to show off how he’s changed since the early part of the series and robs him of his uniqueness as a fighter. The fight itself is not good, memorable, or fun enough to counterbalance how much the author is crapping on its protagonist, a trend that unfortunately gets worse as time goes on.

Anyway, through training Ichigo becomes a human visored (hisored) and goes off to Hueco Mundo to kick ass and get his ass kicked in about equal measure, and once again questions are brought up, if not explicitly than implicitly through the course of the narrative, that are never even addressed.

1) If it weren’t already obvious, the Soul Society cements itself as being absolutely terrible by its treatment of the visoreds. Are they really the good guys here, and why is no one trying to reform their more archaic and barbaric practices?

Unfortunate Implication: Ichigo is willing to ally with complete assholes to accomplish his goals. The whole “protecting those who can’t protect themselves” schtick only applies when people he cares about are in danger.

Conclusion: Ichigo is kind of an asshole, or at least apathetic to the plight of others, a direct contrast to his characterization thus far

2) If hollows are impure spirits, and high-level hollows spirits who have evolved by consuming countless others, would it not be in the best interest of Nel and other “good” arrancar to be purified? Is it even appropriate to think of hollows who have evolved as individuals or a conglomeration of all the souls that have been consumed? Are hollows inherently evil, or has the Soul Society’s understanding of the hollow/non-hollow spirit dynamic been flawed this entire time?

Unfortunate Implication: Either Ichigo doesn’t think through the logical conclusion of having hollows as allies enough to question what he’s been taught about hollows thus far, or he’s okay with leaving countless spirits in an impure state and damning them to a miserable existence of insatiable hunger and denying them access to the proper afterlife/reincarnation cycle

Conclusion: Ichigo isn’t as smart as he’s presented to be, or he’s okay with making friends with the very monsters he’s sworn to destroy...as long as they’re cute and helpful

This is what I mean when Ichigo devolves as a character. By the time the Fullbringer arc rolls around (for those keeping score at home, Ichigo has gone from hisored to fullbringer back to humigami) Kubo has built a world full of shades of grey, but continues time and time again to have Ichigo play it as if it were black and white. The reveal that Ichigo is, in fact, a quincigami is just the icing on the cake, stealing the one thing that made Ishida unique only for it to go absolutely nowhere and confuse an already muddled backstory.

All of these changes in power and the complete disregard for the moral quandaries brought up by the story mean that any change in Ichigo is superficial, like a skin change in a video game. He might look cool and give his attacks spiffy names, but it’s all an excuse for Kubo to draw him in different outfits because once again, all Kubo really cares about is drawing really cool shit. Everything else is secondary. Nothing has to make sense. Who cares about Ichigo’s hopes and dreams and desires when he can have two swords that he’ll never use in battle. Oh, it’s the epilogue and Ichigo needs to be a grown up doing grown up stuff...might as well make him a doctor. It was good enough for his old man, right? It wasn’t as if he said anything against taking over his father’s clinic some day.

Then again, Ichigo never said that’s what he’d like to do either. Almost 700 chapters and 15 years went by and Ichigo never once said what he wanted to do with his life when he grew up.

And that, my friends, is a problem.

#Bleach #Manga #Analysis #ichigo kurosaki #character analysis #character development #bad character development #writing #creative-type analyzes

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spectrumscribe · 7 years

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What is the top thing that messed you up and made you super angry with tmnt 2012? I know there are loads but what ranks at the top for you? This isn’t an accusation post or anything, mine was how Splinter treated every non-Leo and raised soldiers and called them sons (side eyeing the lone rat and Cubs episode and setting it on fire 🔥) so just curious on your one.

wow okay that’s a loaded question. i have a lot of issues with 2012, but i’ll give you my highlights. (long post, apologies.)

big starting issue: bad interpersonal dynamics.

they started so strong with the brother-brother relationships, and over time they dissolved into something that barely resembled familial closeness (i’ll talk even more about that later). there were multiple instances where serious fights and conflicts between the brothers got swept under the rug and ignored, and that is a major failing of writing.

also, shitty romance attempts. i ship capritello, but the individual components of that for capril and apritello were presented blandly at best, and uncomfortably at worst. and don’t even get me started on all the hinting and teasing with leorai, which, by the way, is incest no matter how people spin it.

they started good with all of these things (if heavy handed with apritello) and by the end of the series… nothing was given any resolution! there was no awkward talk between Leo and Karai to put to rest their weird relationship, no final sit down and conclusion to the capritello trio’s mess of feelings, and on the topic of romance, “ramona” her name is Y’Gythgba dammnit was a flaming disaster from start to finish.

so family relationships went bad, romance went bad, and none of the fights or overtures were every concluded.

next issue: the absolutely minuscule pool of reoccurring female characters and their treatment.

is it honestly so hard to give another five or so female characters, when the cast is made up of like sixty+ men? or!!! let any of them do things in the show besides be sometimes literally plot devices? even Karai, who had spent all of the seasons building up to taking revenge for what Shredder did to her, and was an incredibly dangerous and highly independent fully trained kunoichi, got her character arc stolen by Leo. or, you know, was reduced to being a damsel in distress every time Leo so much as breathed in the same scene as her.

And let’s not even talk about how Y’Gythgba, this badass soldier of a warrior planet, was similarly reduced to a romance object; who got to fire her gun like twice a scene and then wait for the turtles to save her. OR, how they claimed Shinigami was younger than all the cast members, (17), and yet endowed her and sexualized her like she was 20+. (and she hardly got to do anything cool, either.)

and April, sweet glorious murderous April, who was literally designed to conquer entire worlds, who did Some Cool Shit, but was never treated with the proper fear or respect she deserved. i wanted less of her being fawned over as a romance goal and more of her punching people in their teeth. (actually, i wanted that in general for all the ladies of the cast.)

they could have done so much more with all these wonderful ladies (and given us MORE OF THEM, THANKS) and they did not. assholes.

issue three: dropped plot lines.

i’m not the best at remembering every single dropped plot line in tmnt ( @hotmilkytea has an entire post for it and she has blessed us with that) but there was a metric fuck ton of unresolved plot and character arcs. the writers left so many loose ends you could make a wig out of them. (not just the romance ones i mentioned above, but ones that had world scale effects. just dropped and never spoken of again. shameful.)

they had an entire board of writers working for them. keeping continuity should not have been so hard for them.

biggest issue i had, and still have: abusive familial relationships.

now i know a lot of people might disagree with me on this- heck, majority of those people would strongly disagree with this- but i have my opinion and this is how i see the big picture.

they didn’t start out like that, certainly. they actually had very realistic sibling-sibling dynamics in the first season! it was only after that that things started to go downhill. but as the seasons went on, a lot of the fun and love of the Hamato family dynamic got written out.

there was a steady increase of physical violence, especially towards Mikey, and a steady increase of emotional manipulation, especially towards Donnie. and, it became very clear that Splinter only put real effort into teaching and loving Leo, somewhat towards Raph, and nearly nothing to Donnie and Mikey. its neglectful, how Splinter treated the B-team, and its downright abusive, how the A-team treated their siblings.

just…. the things that used to be gags got very serious in implications, and there were never apologies for hurtful words or actions. Mikey actively was flinching away and getting ready for hits by the third season, and Donnie just accepted every criticism given to him, as well as keeping quiet when his glory got stolen. (Donnie’s brothers claiming victory with his inventions, and Mikey burying his anger and hurt not five seconds after each conflict. that happened at least every two episodes.)

its not that hard to write a loving family that teases and roughhouses without it going bad. i’m very disappointed in 2012 for failing so thoroughly on that highly vital aspect of the turtles.

i wrote a fanfic that really expresses my views on things, which is still ongoing and will go into deep depth on all of these issues. check it out if you want a better idea.

i think that’s all my biggest problems with tmnt, though i know i had a few more about stereotyping and lack of true racial diversity.

honestly, after the disappointment tmnt 2012 turned out to be on almost all accounts, i’m very concerned how 2018 tmnt is going to go. i’m sincerely hoping i don’t see any more of what i listed above in the next animation, but considering my doubts about Nickelodeon, i am not overly hopeful.

#ask the writer #tmnt #tmnt 2012 #Why I Hate Ciro - a seven part novel series by me #this is the pocket novella version for your viewing pleasure #*deep sigh*#we could have had it aaaaaaaaaaaall

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missstormcaller · 7 years

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CAN’T FEAR YOUR OWN WORLD Part 6 Full Translation

Chapter 4

Squad 9 Barracks. "……" Hisagi Shūhei was sitting at his vice captain's desk, gazing at and reflecting on previous issues of Seireitei Communication. At his back, the voice of Muguruma, his captain, called out to him. "Hey, what's with the long face, Shūhei." "Uh, captain…" "Is it because of the business from just a short while ago? Well, it's not surprising that you're irritated." "…sorry, it really shows on my face huh?" He intended to bottle up his emotions, but it seems he couldn't even do a good job of that, no matter how hard he tried. After taking a deep breath, Hisagi posed a question to Muguruma.

"Captain, did you know about it? Captain Tōsen…I mean, Tōsen Kaname's past?" "…Just a little." Even now, Hisagi has a habit of calling Tōsen "captain Tōsen" when he gets worked up. He understands this is discourteous towards the current captain Muguruma, but no matter what, when it came to Tōsen, it seemed impossible to keep in control of his reasoning power. Because Muguruma is understanding of that, he couldn't even blame Hisagi for it. "I'm not the kind of person who concerns myself with a subordinate's past or something. So I didn't inquire that deeply, and even if I didn't ask, he was able to work in a reliable enough manner… but thinking back on it now, perhaps I should have gotten to the core of things some more." "What about the Tsunayashiro noblemen…?" "All the same, the likes of nobility was not a matter worth worrying about as far as I was concerned. It's okay if they were like Kyōraku san, Kuchiki or Yoruichi, but ordinary nobles were not ones who wanted to get too close to that bunch." Hisagi also knew well about the arrogance and irrationality of the Shinigami noblemen. If it was arrogance that is somewhat genial in nature like the Omaedas' then it would be excusable, but the conduct of nobles like that which was seen from the Central 46 not too long ago was outrageous. Although he had heard that Central 46 had also happened to reform their way of thinking after the war, still, among those who live in Kizokugai*, there were many who openly looked down upon commoners or those who hailed from Rukongai.

(*TN -- "Noble Town" i.e. the district within Seireitei where many nobles live, see my WDkALY Part 6 translation for more info.) "It would've been great if they were all like Yoruichi san." "…That in its own way will only spell trouble." Imagining the figures of a crowd of Yoruichis leaping around Kizokugai, Muguruma knit his eyebrows together in unease, whilst recalling the past he crafted his words. "Come to think of it, around the time that Byakuya guy was still a brat, whenever Yoruichi would tease him, he'd be furious and he was a delight to be around, but now he's become completely nobleman-like." "It can't be helped. He is the head of one of the four great noble clans after all." "But then Yoruichi would have had the same standpoint too back then…" As he said that Muguruma picked up a copy of "Seireitei Communication" which was on the desk, he flipped through the pages whilst questioning Hisagi. "Anyway, you've dared to undertake this task huh? Given the circumstances, I think it would have been fine if you had refused and passed the matter off to others in the squad you know?” "…I was also hesitant when it came to deciding."

An hour ago - Squad 1 barracks "…Understood. I will take on this special edition matter." "Eh? Really?… You're fine with it?" In response to Kyōraku who spoke as if he was surprised, Hisagi gives a firm nod. "Yes, I am, but I inherited Seireitei Communication from the former editor-in-chiefs like it was my castle…so, whether or not that guy deserves to have a special edition made for him, I will first and foremost collect information on him with my own hands." "You talk more boldly than I could've imagined… ah… Just so you know, if you're bringing up the past it's likely you're already being watched by the Kinin Noble Assembly*. But I think we can curb the efforts of those belonging to Central 46 one way or another if we ask Nayura chan." (*TN-- they deal with matters relating to the four great noble clans, see WDkALY Part 9 translation) "No, it's not the past I'm going to collect information on, but rather the current situation around that man. I will write down exactly what I have observed with integrity, if there are no problems, then please leave the special edition up to me." "…You have no personal grudges?" Kyōraku inquired in a certain manner, as if feeling him out, after a short silence hung between them, Hisagi replied. "I can't be certain of whether or not there is some…in any case, to distort an article with my emotions, that in itself would be an insult to captain Tōsen." Although he had unintentionally called Tōsen "captain" even here, Nanao only slightly narrowed her eyes and and no one directly pointed the issue out to him. After watching Hisagi with a serious look in his eye for a short while, he lightly shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak. "I see, well then, you've been asked to do this. But don't push yourself too hard. Your addressee is a leader amongst the nobles who operates under a completely different set of principles to we of the Gotei 13. It's possible that they may meddle with any weak points they see in you the interviewer.” "I'm prepared for that. I can't interview cunning Shinigami if I'm afraid of such things." "Really? You'd be okay even if a seductive young lady like Rangiku chan used flirtatious means to get what they want?" "Ehh? You really think I'd be taken in by that kind of thing…?" A flustered Hisagi turns his attention towards Nanao, but she immediately averts her eyes. Subsequently, when he turned his face towards Muguruma-- "Well, amongst the vice captains you seem to be second only to Omaeda when it comes to falling into a trap." --He said, expressing his impressions quite frankly. "Second to Omaeda!?" "That's right, but Omaeda has money, so perhaps he's galavanting about the place more than one would expect and is accustomed to flirtatious advances. Then that would mean your actually number one…" "No, no, not at all! What about the others, such as Renji… the others…?"

He recollected various things that happened in the past -- more specifically things like the reactions of both himself and Renji when Kurotsuchi Mayuri once told them "I can perform a Zanpakutō sex change", he realised there was little difference between them. "Well, that's quite enough of that conversation don't you think! Anyway, you can leave this matter with me!" "Of course, it's better to have a certain kind of relaxed attitude. Since it's pretty tough keeping company with those nobles who do nothing but strain your nerves." "Captain Kyōraku……" Realising that those words from just a moment ago were said for the purpose of alleviating his mental strain, Hisagi felt a sense of gratitude towards Kyōraku whilst speaking once again. "I understand. In the name of Seireitei Communication, please allow me to undertake this task." "Yes, do let me know if there's anything I can assist you with too. However, a captain commander's job is more hectic than I expected, so I can't be available at all times." "Thank you very much! Err……" Then, Hisagi remembered. Questions he had to ask the captain commander personally. " ? What's the matter?" Responding to Kyōraku who tilted his head in puzzlement, Hisagi broached the subject with a serious look on his face. "Captain Kyōraku…sorry to change the subject but, there's one more thing I want to ask you." "What would you like to ask me? I hope I can give you an answer." "……It's about captain Ukitake, and Ginjō Kūgo." "……" A slight shadow is cast over Kyōraku's expression and after a brief silence, he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm at a loss, why ask about that at this point in time I wonder?" "I met with Ginjō today." "! I see… right, there's no need to worry about him. Regarding his treatment, Ukitake requested to prolong it as much as possible." Whilst calling to mind the face of his now deceased dear friend, Kyōraku quietly glanced towards an empty space. "Captain Ukitake, he……" "However, that’s because it wasn't possible to say whether or not he was innocent in all this from outward appearances, in truth, Ukitake tolerated it and adopted a wait and see attitude." After displaying a wry smile, Kyōraku then asks Hisagi about the fundamental points. "So then…did you hear the story from him?" "Yes, but, I can't very well listen to and swallow up only one side of the story." "You treat such matters seriously huh? I think that's a good thing, yes." After flashing a smile as if he was reassured by Hisagi's attitude towards his work, Kyōraku released a small sigh whilst he formed his words. "Be that as it may…will you give me a little time?" "Time?" "It appears that Ukitake tried to keep the matter to himself. I too was unable to grasp the whole story. However, with my current position, various things that were ambiguous before can now be cleared up I think. If that happens, it's possible that Ginjō Kūgo will also be given a pardon of sorts." After going as far as to say that, Kyōraku narrowed his one eye. "…On the flip side, there is also a possibility that a criminal amongst the Shinigami will be uncovered." "…Understood. I will wait until then." Following that, he was given a short briefing and after obtaining a number of 'interview permissions', Hisagi left the 1st division barracks. As he hurried back towards his own squad barracks, Hisagi thinks over the instructions for the special edition issue once again. ---- Tsunayashiro Tokinada. Whilst reflecting upon the name that was carved into his mind many times over, he tried to subdue his emotions as he headed towards his squad barracks with an extremely grim looking face ------ it was enough to frighten Yamada Hanatarō who he had passed by en route.

Present time - Squad 9 Barracks. "Oh damn, is that the time? Sorry captain, I have to head out for the interviews." "You're a busy guy huh. Where will you go to next?" "Squad 11. To those guys Madarame and Yumichika, I'm going to interview those two about the left arm of the Soul King."

One hour later - Squad 11 Barracks - Resting Area. "Well… that's precisely what we saw. If that's somewhat helpful?" "In fact, during that battle we were mostly just watching. So it's a rather tedious matter. Oh, I hate to admit it too much, but Nemu chan's fight was truly beautiful." In response to to Madarame and Yumichika who continued to narrate their rough accounts on the matter, Hisagi knit his eyebrows as he replied. "So in brief, if I understood you correctly, captain Kurotsuchi was being crazy as usual. Still, I hope Nemu san will be healed without problem…" "Rather than 'healing', it seems she'll have a new body soon. That Akon guy said that a few years later, by crawling around she'll probably be able to use a certain level of shunpo." "That will be a sight to behold." Unable to imagine it he tilted his head to the side, but Hisagi didn't probe too deeply into the subject and decided to ask other questions instead. "So then, surely captain Kurotsuchi talked about the left arm of the Soul King?" "Yeah, I couldn't understand anything at all about that thing…" Because he had heard rumours surrounding that topic, Hisagi had paid a visit to these two specifically to enquire about the details of the battle. Hisagi was trying to investigate whether or not there was some kind of connection between the "right arm of the Soul King" that dwelled in captain Ukitake, and the "left arm of the Soul King" that for some reason was in the Wandenreich camp. A local deity called "Mimihagi sama" dwelled within Ukitake. If it was truly the right arm of the Soul King, why in the world were the arms of the Soul King detached from the body? Given that this may also affect Ukitake's honour depending on the circumstances, Hisagi wanted to make a clear distinction between the boundaries of rumour and reality, however -- with this interview, the state of affairs started to appear increasingly chaotic. "That guy, he was changing his manner of speech and had some strange things to say. Like "I have always been a Quincy" for example." "……?" At the words which had unexpectedly left Yumichika's mouth, Hisagi reflexively knit his eyebrows together. "No way, that's strange. Why is the left arm of Soul King sama Quincy from the beginning? Could it be that somebody amongst the Quincies obtained the left arm of Soul King sama somewhere, and then implanted it within their body like Ukitake san or something?" "How should I know? It's not like we could even hear the whole exchange after all." "What about you Madarame?" "I probably can't explain the reasoning behind things that Yumichika can't understand. Ask captain Kurotsuchi."

Although it was a reasonable suggestion, Hisagi could only release a sigh at that. "I've requested permission to collect information on a variety of other subjects, such as the situation with kira…but these past six months he seems to be busy all the time. He rejected any interviews. He says he has a mountain of new research." Realising that he was already complaining, Hisagi dropped his shoulders whilst backing-up with his next words. "Well, that's mostly because of Seireitei's restoration and Nemu san so I guess it can't be helped…" "You look like you're having a hard time. You never seemed suited to this line of work to begin with." "It's not a question of being suited or not. Madarame, you too wouldn't listen to someone who told you "the battle is not suited to you so give up" would you?" "Right, I would cut the guy down before he could tell me a joke like that." Just when he let out a sigh at Madarame's unsettling reply, Hisagi remembered something. "Come to think of it, you have a younger sister right? When I investigated the name of the Shinigami who is currently in charge of Karakura Town with the intel I recovered, I was surprised that the name that came up was Madarame." "Oh…Shino? I'm not sure if she's my sister or a cousin. Apparently, on the first day she was dispatched to Karakura Town, she was knocked out by a group of huge Hollows and then rescued by Ichigo, she's still got a long way to go. It's just like what I kept telling her, squad 11 is too difficult. She won't be able to mix in with us tough guys." Madarame looked worried despite speaking so bluntly, in response, it was Yumichika who matter-of-factly pointed out the flaws in his argument rather than Hisagi. "Well, if several large Hollows were your opponents, normally, a novice soldier alone would end up dying even if they were squad 11." "…That's right Madarame. Not everyone is like you or captain Zaraki." After his vague interjection, Hisagi cast his eyes down. The time he was still a pupil at the Shinō Academy sprang into his mind -- he was leading the juniors in a training exercise when they were attacked by huge Hollows, that was when he lost his comrade Kanisawa. At that time, Hisagi was at his wit's end, the incident was swiftly dealt with when Aizen and Ichimaru Gin who had appeared in the wake of the trouble, defeated the enemies by themselves. ---- I wonder if the person I am today has become as strong as Aizen and Ichimaru was back then…? Despite thinking that, he still cautioned himself, what he wanted to obtain was not really such strength. He reaffirmed that since that fight, it was Tōsen who gave him a 'way' to regard fear in battle ---- at the same time, he recalled the name of the man which he had heard from Kyōraku. Tsunayashiro Tokinada.

The man who was the root cause of Tōsen being led astray. ---- Such a guy is really a clan head of one of the four great noble houses? "Oi, what's the matter Hisagi?" "Huh? Ah, it's nothing, sorry. I was just thinking about something." Coming to his senses at Madarame's voice, Hisagi scolded himself whilst returning to the subject of the "left arm of the Soul King". "Isn't there someone else who also witnessed that battle? I want to gather as much information as possible." "Ah, perhaps, there is someone." "Who?" When Hisagi enquired - thinking that surely there was no other spectators other than Madarame and co. - with his curiosity peaking, Madarame calmly revealed the name of the person in question. "Yamada should have been lying around nearby. That's right, the 4th division's 3rd seat."

1 hour later - Squad 4 Barracks. "Well, about that…I was really just paralysed and ended up collapsing that's all…" As he tilted his head at Hanatarō who for some reason had a fearful expression on his face, Hisagi began to consider that this trip had been made in vain. At the time of the battle against the Quincy called Pernida who was apparently the "left arm of the Soul King", it seems Hanatarō was caught up in Kurotsuchi Mayuri's Zanpakutō ability and all the muscles in his body were paralysed. "Anyway, why does it seem like you're too afraid to look at my face?" "Eh? No, about that… you were making a grim face earlier on the street, I thought something had put you in a bad mood…" "…Ah, sorry. I was feeling a little irritated earlier." ---- I let it show on my face that much? As he reflected upon himself, Hisagi crafts words in order to dodge the real issue. "It's nothing, after this I have to go to Kizokugai to collect information, but I'm not quite sure how to start work on it. I was just a little irritated because of that." "Eh? Kizokugai?" "That's right, in brief, I've received authorised entry, but the question is from which establishment do I start the interviews… captain Kuchiki and Yoruichi san seem busy. And the procedures surrounding Central 46 and the Noble Assembly are troublesome."

The latter half of his sentence was no deception but rather a true sentiment. Although he had obtained permission from Kyōraku to freely enter Kizokugai in order to interview this Tokinada character, it was necessary to acquire separate permissions to collect material on each of the institutions surrounding the nobles. Hisagi considered it too early to go to the Tsunayashiro clan directly, he intended to begin his investigations in the documents of the Great Spirit Book Gallery which was under the management of Amakado Nayura, however ---- "Well err, if you need someone who is well acquainted with Kizokugai, then I know a person." "Ehh? This person is in Squad 4?" "N-no… not quite but… but he said it's his day off today, so I think it would be no problem." "? Who in the world is it?" At Hisagi's question, Hanatarō lowered his head seeming somewhat apologetic, at the same time he replied as if he was lacking in self confidence. "R-right… it's Yamada Seinosuke…he's my older brother… probably. He left just a short while ago, so if he's not at our family home right now, then he'll be at the Shinō Seyakuin in Kizokugai I think."

"Oh! Come to think of it, Yamada was the name of a representative of the Shinō Seyakuin! So he's actually Hanatarō's older brother! I remember because he was featured in articles a few times before I became editor-in-chief! ……wait a minute, what do you mean by probably?" "…My brother, he's got a talent for Kaidō unlike myself…sometimes I grow doubtful about whether or not we're truly brothers" "How can someone like you be worried about something like that…?" Releasing a sigh Hisagi tries to cheer Hanatarō up. "Relax. Your reputation for Kaidō is considered top-class even in Seireitei Communication opinion polls you know?" "……How can…such a thing… huuhh? M-maybe my brother pitied me, and handed out bribes to everyone who voted……I-I'm sorry, I beg your forgiveness!" "Both you and captain Kotetsu too, why are talented members of the 4th division so negative about themselves…?" ---- Perhaps it's a reaction to Unohana san being more than twice as powerful as almost any other Shinigami. Although Hisagi considered such a thing, in his eyes, he could confidently say that Hanatarō's skill in Kaidō was more than outstanding. Even if the person himself says he has no talent, if he was able to reach his current level just by pushing himself, then it's safe to say that he has plenty of talent in Kaidō. In fact, the opinions on Hanatarō that was sent into Seireitei Communication also had some saying that "because he always has a negative expression on his face, we get somewhat uneasy around him", but for the most part, only when it came to healing did he display a positive stance, and the voices of those who acknowledged that talent and attitude were in the majority. It was the same after the Great War had ended, far from being timid, he rushed around the scene of the battlefield together with Inoue and others to provide medical treatment, and everyone who saw him acknowledged Hanatarō as a respectable Shinigami. Hisagi who was one of the people among those who acknowledged him, began to once again consider Hanatarō's suggestion from earlier. Meeting the chief of the Shinō Seyakuin in Kizokugai would mean there is an extremely high possibility of being able to detail things such as the interpersonal relationships between the nobles and their reputations. If that's the case, then there was no way he could let slip the opportunity to secure connections here. ---- well, if he's Hanatarō's brother, then he's surely a friendly person. Coming to an optimistic conclusion with his carefree speculations, Hisagi decided to accept Hanatarō's proposal. "Pardon me, Hanatarō. If it's alright with you, I'd really appreciate it if you could introduce me to your older brother." He remained unaware of the fact that this choice has once again, significantly altered his fate.

Meanwhile at the Squad 1 Barracks. Around the same time as Hisagi meeting with Hanatarō ------ Even at the 1st division barracks, a reunion drama was unfolding. "Long time no see, Shunsui. Since I was sent to the Maggot's Nest I think." A large escort had accompanied an important noble to the 1st division barracks -- Tsunayashiro Tokinada ordered those people to leave the room so now he was facing the captain commander of the Gotei 13 one-to-one. "Is that so? At any rate, I heard that you were in a state of house arrest for a few hundred years." "It's a foolish affair. Those guys from the head house tried to humiliate me by making me take responsibility for my crime, so they tried to treat my very being itself as nonexistent. Rather than behaving in such a way, they might as well have given me a formal sentence, like execution or exile. And what is the consequence of hesitating to root out the criminal from their own house? Take a look, that criminal has now taken everything from them." If one were to hear those words alone, its contents could be interpreted as something akin to self-mockery. However, he was talking whilst his whole face was lit up with a smile, Kyōraku could sense that Tokinada was sneering at each and every aforementioned member of the Tsunayashiro clan, from the bottom of his heart. "…Can I take that as a confession that you conspired to dispose of your family predecessors?" "Oh my, you're not serious are you? I was merely being sarcastic you know?" After giving a strained laugh, Tokinada narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "However, even if that is the case, I am clan head already. And even if something happens afterwards, I can easily silence it. There won't be a reduction of penalty like the time I killed my comrade and wife. Rather, I can make it out to be so that the crime itself was completely nonexistent." "Would you really be able to pull off such a thing? The current Central 46 are beginning to change their old fashioned ways you know?" "Nonetheless, aristocrat society itself hasn't changed. Isn't that right?" "……" "Even though everything was being destroyed by that herd of Quincies, and they only had to seclude themselves indoors, the majority of the nobles of Seireitei still couldn't change. The only ones that have changed are those who have had various experiences out in the world from the very outset, such as you, the Kuchiki clan, the Shihōins and so on. It's laughable that as many as two houses among the four great noble clans were fighting on the frontline. Though if the Shiba clan were taken into account, then it would have been three houses amongst the five great noble clans." The five great noble clans.

The Shiba clan which had completely collapsed in recent years, used to be counted amongst the four great noble clans, the "founding five houses" are said to be connected to the beginnings of Soul Society. It is also said that Tsunayashiro clan were the leaders amongst the five great noble houses, and aside from the Soul King and squad zero who were in effect isolated from politics, it's possible to say that they were the most influential voice in existence within Seireitei. The current head of that very Tsunayashiro clan distorts his lips into a leering smile. "Naturally, I haven't changed from the old ways either. The same is true of my resentment towards you, Kyōraku Shunsui." "Your resentment is undue. I was merely preventing you from committing evil deeds that's all." "That was a completely unexpected turn in the road. I intended to play the part of an ill-fated husband who was betrayed by both his comrade and his wife whilst remaining undetected by everybody, however… I couldn't believe it, a man like you who did nothing but chase after women was too sharp-witted for me. Truly, it's quite admirable how you were the one to expose my crimes." With a crooked smile still playing on his lips, Tokinada talked about the past in a dispassionate manner. "I didn't expose anything. "He killed his buddy following a dispute, and while he was at it he also killed his wife who rebuked him for it"…… Something like that was the only conclusion I could come to when all the fundamental details were in a grove*." (*TN -- "in a grove" is a Japanese idiom taken from a story title meaning one is unable to discern the truth because it's shrouded in mystery/evidence is conflicting or insufficient) After responding with that, Kyōraku also uttered an 'apology' of sorts. "There is one thing I need to apologise to you about." "…What? You apologising to me? I don't think it's possible but, you're not going to beg my forgiveness because you exposed my crimes are you?" Then, after Kyōraku shakes his head a little, he fixes his eyes on the man with the cool demeanour who belonged to one of the four great noble clans. If the escort of noblemen were still around him whilst he stared at Tokinada with that kind of look, that alone would have them up in arms considering the act 'disrespectful', in an unconcerned manner Kyōraku then spoke of his own ‘crime’.

"At the time of Rukia chan's execution scandal… to be honest, until I understood the truth of the matter, I even suspected you just a little. I wondered if you had given her a heavier punishment than what was originally intended by making the necessary preparations in secret from the shadows of Central 46." "Dear me, you were on the verge of pinning Aizen's wrongdoings on me? But why would you think such a thing? I don't have a motive to force the killing of Kuchiki Rukia do I? I've never even met her anyway." "When Kuchiki kun took Hisana chan who was a resident of Rukongai as his wife… as well as the time he tried to adopt Rukia chan into the family……it wasn't just the Kuchikis. The voice of opposition also came from the Tsunayashiro clan. So I thought that if it's the case that you made those recommendations whilst in the process of reinstating yourself, then it's possible that you were pulling the strings behind the Tsunayashiro clan." "So, I had no reason to make the recommendations in the first place?" In response to Tokinada who shrugged his shoulders, Kyōraku spoke. "You don't need things like reasons. It merely stems from harassment… killing time. And attracting the attention of the nobles." "……" "You've made it this far through sheer harassment. That's your true nature isn't it? Tokinada." "Show some self-restraint, Shunsui. Do you really think the likes of a mere Gotei 13 captain commander can talk about me as they please?" Quite in contrast with his words from just now, Tokinada grinned from ear to ear. It was as if he was admiring Kyōraku's speech word for word. Without returning a smile to him, Kyōraku simply questioned him in an unfazed manner. "And? What business has brought you all the way here specifically? If you have a complaint against the Gotei 13, I'd be happy to pass it onto the Kinin Noble Assembly or the Central 46 for you." "Ah, it's an uncomplicated matter. I wanted to obtain some contacts." "Contacts?" "Kuchiki aside, Shihoin Yoruichi cannot be contacted through the aristocratic networks. Even the Kinin Noble Assembly are unable to get a hold of her whereabouts… but, perhaps you know a way to get in touch with that unruly woman?" As Tokinada said so, he handed over a piece of paper on which he had written his message to Yoruichi. After receiving it and scanning through it with his eyes, Kyōraku maintained a blank expression as he posed a question to Tokinada. "She has already handed over her position as clan head to her younger brother Yūshirō… but what are you planning?" "Nothing at all? I'm merely thinking of putting forward a solemn proposal. For the sake of Soul Society, no, for the sake of harmony in all worlds, the Human World and Hueco Mundo included as well. Unable to place even a fragment of trust in the words Tokinada had just spat out, Kyōraku grew even more suspicious. "Really, you came for that alone?" "In addition to that, I came to see you. Though you've already dwindled quite a lot by now, compared to your time at the Shinō Academy. Thanks to you, my resentment has simmered and risen to the surface once again." Continuing to flash smile in which one could not discern whether he was being serious or simply joking, Tokinada added one more thing as if he had just remembered something. "Which reminds me, it seems Ukitake has kicked the bucket?" "……" "And the right arm of Soul King sama dwelled within his lowly body, I suppose it's too much of an honour for the undeserving paupers of Rukongai."

Although Tokinada's manner of speaking was not dissimilar to a provocation, Kyōraku remained unswayed by it and asked further questions instead. "Ginjō Kūgo. Do you know that name?" "…Ah, if I'm not mistaken, he was the first substitute Shinigami. I heard that he's the mad dog that betrayed Seireitei but, well, thanks to that precedent we were able to gain a hero named Kurosaki Ichigo. It must have been a good bargain from Ukitake's viewpoint too. But, why ask me about such a man?" "Nevermind, I was just checking… and, Ukitake's resolution was never cheap like you think it is." When Tokinada heard that, he shrugged his shoulders a second time, as soon as there was nothing more to talk about, he turned his back to Kyōraku. "There is nothing of great value in this world. Especially in Soul Society where just about everything is a sham." After taking a few more steps, he came to a stop once again and cast a glance towards the corner of the captain's office. "Oh, just so you know, I truly had nothing to do with the execution of your mother, Ise Nanao." " ──── " At the corner of the room, from the depths of the space which to all appearances seemed empty, came the sound of a gasp. "It's not like I'm the mastermind behind everything. Anyway, if I had the authority back then… I wouldn't execute her so quickly. Just like how it was in Kuchiki Rukia's case, I would play cat and mouse before killing her in a grand performance atop Sōkyoku Hill. And, I'd order Kyōraku to attend with front row seats at the Garden of Judgement*." (*TN -- Mentioned in Bleach Ch. 65, the name of the area atop Sōkyoku Hill where one would gather to witness an execution.) Flashing a villainous smile towards the vast empty space, Tokinada added more words. "Just like that time with Kuchiki Rukia, will Kyōraku try to rescue your mother by going as far as to destroy the gallows? Would he go as far as making an enemy out of Seireitei like Kurosaki Ichigo by trying to save her? I'm afraid that's unlikely to be the case. Kyōraku would forsake your mother. He did forsake her. In order to protect none other than you, Ise Nanao!" "Would you kindly end your monologue right there? Head of the Tsunayashiro clan, Tokinada sama." Although it sounds like a statement made in jest with his usual easygoing manner, Tokinada who was before his eyes sensed Kyōraku's cold Reiatsu on the back of his insincere honorific language, like he was under a bed of water that had frozen still. After Tokinada had become aware of that atmosphere and narrowing his eyes in response, he placed his hand on the Zanpakutō attached at his hip as he continued to speak. "…Good heavens, how frightening. I don't want to get dragged under a sea of water and have my throat cut up. Allow me to excuse myself for today." After confirming that Tokinada had left the squad barracks along with his escort group, Kyōraku walked over to the corner of his captain's office and lightly brushed his hand through the space there.

Then, the space distorts like cloth, Nanao, whose face had turned pale, materialised from the other side of the scenery which was being lifted up. Kyōraku encircled his arm around the shoulders of Nanao who was trembling whilst washed in a cold sweat, she was engulfed in the warmth of his Reiatsu which made her feel safe. "Are you okay, Nanao chan?" "Y-yes…I'm sorry, captain." "Oh my, not even I could notice you eavesdropping, you've grown up fast haven't you. Is this Lisa chan's influence?" Perhaps he was trying to put her mind at ease by making her remember a familiar face and that's why he mentioned Yadōmaru Lisa's name, his former vice captain and a person who is currently being regarded as a candidate for captain of squad 8. Perceiving Kyōraku's concern, Nanao used her willpower to regain control over her breathing. "Did he scare you? He gives you such a feeling because he emits quite a creepy Reiatsu doesn't he?" "…In the past, when I was exposed to former captain commander Yamamoto's Reiatsu, I was unable to even move…but in that man's case, it's completely different in nature." If it's the case that she was a frog being glared at by a snake when she was faced with Yamamoto Genryusai's wrath, then in her self-analysis, just now, she was the one that appeared to be the snake that has been made to dissolve into a slithering slug. (TN-- The frog being glared at by a snake is a Japanese idiom meaning one is paralysed on the spot, it has the same nuance as "a deer in the headlights" idiom in English.) Before she could even get aggravated by the fact that he had used both herself and her mother as tools in order to denigrate Kyōraku, a deep and bottomless feeling of eeriness was gnawing away at Nanao's heart. Whilst harbouring fear of this mysterious character in addition to the fact that he had the ability to see through her own Injūtsu* (*Concealing art) that not even Kyōraku could notice, Nanao opened her mouth to speak with a slight tremble that remained in her voice. "Captain…I am against such a man… becoming a head amongst the four great noble clans." As he pondered 'when was the last time she spoke about things relating to personal matters with personal feelings', Kyōraku quietly looks up at the sky. "Regarding that matter, I agree completely." Next, reflecting upon the man's request to contact Yoruichi, Kyōraku mutters to himself. "This is a troublesome turn of events huh… very much so."

#CAN'T FEAR YOUR OWN WORLD #CFYOW #BLEACH #BLEACH NOVEL #mytranslationtag #Hisagi Shuuhei #Kensei Muguruma #Shunsui Kyoraku #Nanao Ise #Tokinada Tsunayashiro #ikkaku madarame #Yumichika Ayasegawa #yamada hanatarou #Yamada Seinosuke

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shinigamikarinkurosaki-archive · 7 years

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Shinigami!Karin headcanons because I can.

HitsuKarin, platonics galore, some RenShuuKiraHina because it’s my new weakness. Mentions of smoking, self injury, suicide/suicidal ideation, & violence.

Toushirou and Ichigo go straight to Shunsui after Karin’s death to have her entrance into the academy expedited. Ichigo and Toushirou refuse to have Karin spend any amount of time in the Rukongai. Thankfully, because of Karin’s blood relation to Ichigo and a former captain, she is allowed to live in the Seireitei until the new semester starts at Shin’ou and she is allowed to enter without an exam.

Toushirou doesn’t want scandal surrounding Karin so soon after her death, so instead of Karin staying with him she stays with Momo, Izuru, Shuuhei, and Renji since they’re the only people outside of Rangiku he trusts enough during Karin’s precarious mental state to take care of her. Although both Momo and Rangiku offered their residences for Karin to crash at, Karin elected to stay with Momo & her spouses because of the greater amount of support at Momo’s place.

Karin & Izuru develop a very strong bond. Izuru sees a lot of himself in Karin’s suicidal ideation & self-injury. I don’t think Izuru could actively assist in Karin’s healing the same way Momo does since he still has a lot of emotional turmoil over Gin & the loss of his arm & lung, but Izuru & Karin do get along very well because of their mutual understanding.

Karin’s suicide & familial legacy is kept under lock and key upon her request. The only people in the Seireitei that ever know Karin killed herself are Toushirou, Momo, Izuru, and Shunsui.

Momo is not comfortable leaving Karin alone while everybody’s at work, so Shuuhei, Momo, Renji, & Izuru take turns sitting her. Karin develops a number of relationships with ranked officers before she starts in the academy because of this. Her favorites (outside of those four, of course) are Rangiku, Mashiro, Shinji, Roujuurou, Lisa, Tetsuzaemon, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Nanao, Byakuya, & a number of lower-seated officers.

Karin gets this kouhai-crush on Shuuhei that’s almost as bad as her infatuation with Momo. Nobody ever finds out any exact reasons for Karin’s admiration for Shuuhei, but Momo things it’s because he’s her senpai which makes him just as cool as Momo. Karin’s infatuation initially makes Shuuhei really uncomfortable, but after Karin figures out his limits– namely minding Shuuhei’s personal space– they start getting along splendidly.

Karin starts out with a lot of behavioral problems in the academy. Shunsui calls her in about it. The meeting is very, very calm, thankfully. Shunsui asks Karin why she’s acting out & Karin initially says she doesn’t know. They work towards her special treatment that resulted from her relationships with the upper echelon of shinigami. Shunsui tells Karin that it is special treatment, but it’s not her relationship to Ichigo or Toushirou & Momo that has fostered those opportunities but her own personality. Karin’s behavioral problems stop after that.

Karin turns out to be exceptional in battle after she gets over her initial fear of swords. Since she already has copious experience fighting against hollows as an adolescent, she is top in her class in hand-to-hand combat & zanjutsu after she gets over her initial fear of swords. She is so exceptional in fact that her instructors have to ask lieutenant-level officers to specially train her & she gives all of them a run for their money.

After Karin obtains her zanpakutou, her last years in the academy are dedicated to improving her kidou skills. Momo starts tutoring Karin her fifth year in the academy. It’s vicious training, but it proves to work. Momo starts with Karin’s shoddy reiryoku output by making Karin levitate explosive beads which detonate at sudden movement. Karin nearly blows off her hands, but her output is fixed in about three days. After that, Momo and Karin work on Karin’s casting. Momo takes away Karin’s sword in order to leave her only means of offense and defense against Tobiume, hoping to force Karin to adapt. Karin’s eyes are injured & later healed, but she develops very strong bakudo because of this & in the space of a day and a half.

Karin’s zanpakutou Nashien is an extremely volatile fire-type zanpakutou. Nashien’s fire is almost as hot as Yamamoto’s were, only Nashien proves to be more homicidal than Yamamoto’s totally-incinerating zanpakutou since it only burns souls. Because of Nashien’s powers & Karin’s outstanding zanjutsu skills, only lieutenants and above are allowed to spar with Karin when her zanpakutou is released because of its lethal potential. The smoke Nashien gives off turns out to be as deadly as her fire. Karin has heard that all ranked officers have been given gas masks in case of emergency but nobody confirms these rumors for her.

Karin attains a new level of hatred for Isshin & Ichigo after she learns about her father’s former positon & that Ichigo has nearly died a number of times. She’s offended that they didn’t care enough to tell her absolutely relevant things. While her spite eventually fades, Karin has no further qualms about leaving her father and brother. Even after Isshin and Ichigo die & become shinigami themselves, she is grateful that she has little contact with them. Yuzu, however, she will always miss. Karin & Yuzu never meet after Yuzu’s death.

There was a huge tug-of-war over Karin between a number of divisions after Karin graduated– namely between the fifth & the third. Karin would receive a seated position no matter where she went. Because of her proficiency, Karin got a say in where she could go & she was placed as a sixth seat in the fifth. Karin quickly replaces the fourth seat just months later.

HitsuKarin bonuses

Everybody knows that Karin & Toushirou are together the minute they’re seen together. It’s not that Toushirou isn’t ever with girls, it’s that he’s actually smiling around her.

Toushirou gets advice how to comfort Karin just after her suicide from Renji since Renji has very gracefully handled Shuuhei, Momo, & Izuru’s emotional problems after Sousuke & Co.’s desertion.

Toushirou will never admit it, but he’s elated that Karin died. It’s mostly because he gets to see her more but he’s also glad Karin finally feels fulfilled & loved in the Seireitei.

The tenth division loves Karin. Toushirou is less temperamental when she’s around so the atmosphere is more relaxed. However, they get walked in on when they’re making out once. That officer is wise enough to keep quiet.

The minute Rangiku & Karin meet Toushirou know’s he’s done. Those two make an actual game seeing who can make him blush the most. There’s never any decipherable winner but it’s sure funny watching Toushirou turn redder and redder.

Toushirou proposes to Karin after she graduates. They plan on a simple, private wedding, with only a handful of close friends. Their wedding is crashed by the majority of the Seireitei. Karin & Toushirou don’t mind, but Momo is furious since there isn’t any food left for actual guests. She almost blows off a number of people’s heads after they go near the cake. No, really, it takes Renji & Shuuhei to hold Momo back.

#bleach #brotp: knots of flames tie our hearts together #feel free to add to this btw #hitsukarin #karin kurosaki #long post //#otp: shut up and kiss me #otp: we have carved a home out of our hearts #platonic karinhina #shini!Karin is my jam #kogi talks bleach hcs #shinigami karin

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tappity-tap · 8 years

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FOREVER BElonging WITH YOU

PART IV - THE ISSUE

<< PART III || PART V >> Story Rating: M Chapter Warnings: Some sexual content, medical stuff, and illness. [This chapter has a little nsfw bit at the beginning but is otherwise sfw]

Nearly a month had passed since he and Rukia were officially confirmed as a married couple, and for Renji life had never been better.

Waking up next to Rukia the morning after their wedding ceremony almost made him question the reality of it all. Not that this was the first time he’d woken up next to her…they slept side-by-side almost every night when they lived in the Rukongai, even huddled together under the same blankets on the nights the temperatures dropped below freezing.

But they’d never woken up next to each other like this, naked and disheveled within their bed linens after spending the night joined together in a passionate physical affirmation of their love, until that day. Watching the sleeping form of his wife stir and give a peaceful sigh felt like a wonderful dream, and even more so when she opened her eyes and kissed him with a smile before they made love again in the glow of dawn.

If this were a dream, he thought, holding her close while she softly moaned his name, he’d gladly remain asleep for the rest of time.

He was still riding high on a heightened state of euphoria when he came back to work the following week and it was enough to endure the constant barrage of waggling eyebrows and sniggering comments directed at him, the most popular choice being the question of how Captain Kuchiki felt “now that his lieutenant was shacking up with his little sister.” Whenever the topic came about, Renji would give a shrug and reply “Can’t say. Why dontcha ask him?”

That usually shut them up.

Speaking of the captain, being his superior’s brother-in-law was actually going better than anticipated. Even after the marriage was registered two weeks before the wedding their working relationship stayed pretty much the same as ever, though Renji did notice Byakuya now tended to shed a little more of his aloof persona once the door of the office closed and no one else was around to see. It wasn’t much but he would take it over nothing at all. That, and they saw more of each other outside the workplace.

While Byakuya’s company wasn’t entirely unpleasant, it was the company of another that Renji truly yearned for, but as they were enlisted in different divisions they didn’t see each other much. He missed Rukia terribly during the days he was on duty and frequently found his thoughts turning to her, wondering things like what was she doing at the moment? Was she thinking about him, too? Should he seek her out during their lunch break? Maybe leave work early to pick her up and take her out to a nice (albeit budget-friendly) dinner? What should they plan on doing tomorrow for their day off? Train together?

But then there were those other thoughts he had to quickly suppress before anyone noticed the hue of his face was coming dangerously close to matching that of his hair.

It wasn’t that Renji only saw her in that way now, no, not at all. It was more the newness of actually getting to explore this different facet of intimacy in their relationship after an eternity of celibacy that had him thinking about it more than he’d care to admit to anyone else.

Once she was used to navigating the vast difference in their sizes, Rukia’s proficiency in the bedroom had quickly flourished. Soon their activities moved out of the bed and onto other places, like the floor. Or the wall. Or the bathtub (that, as it turned out, did indeed comfortably fit two people).

And there was that one time their evening had started with making dinner together but ended with Rukia flung over the table screaming for more as he grasped her hips and furiously pounded her from behind.

“Oh god, harder, Renji! Fuck me HARDER! YES! YES!” She threw her head back and moaned louder with each powerful thrust, even giving a cry of delight when he finally gave in to her multiple demands and planted a few quick open palm slaps on her ass. He was glad he relented on that one. The faint red marks they left behind were pretty hot for sure, but honestly, it would’ve been unfair of him to deny the birthday girl her special request.

Renji eventually lost count of how many times he made her come that night (it was a lot) but he did at least learn she liked when he twisted his fingers through her hair and pulled her head back to kiss her, and if he bit down on just the right spot near the base of her neck as she was about to climax he could make her orgasm last nearly twice as long. Rukia learned how embarrassingly easy it was for her husband to become fully aroused and insatiably horny if she handled cucumbers a certain way.

“Is something the matter, Renji?”

“Ah NO! Not at all, Captain! All good here!” Renji cheerfully shuffled the papers in his hands and put on what he hoped wasn’t a grin that said “I was just thinking about how much your sister enjoys it when we get rough.”

Byakuya’s eyebrow quirked up slightly but he said nothing else and went back to his forms.

They continued their work in silence until a series of frantic knocks sounded on the office door, followed closely by an equally frantic, but still professional, voice. “Excuse me, Lieutenant Abarai! Captain Kuchiki! I have an urgent message from the 4th Division!”

Renji froze. 4th Division messages like this only came if one of their subordinates had sustained critical or life-threatening injuries. A few deaths had even been reported to him during his tenure as lieutenant. He tried to rack his brain for any current dangerous missions that involved members of their division but came up empty.

Byakuya glanced at him, then back at the door. “Enter.”

The door opened and a young Shinigami with silvery blonde curls and tortoise shell glasses darted in. She knelt on the floor and proceeded to read from an unfurled scroll in her hands.

“From Captain Kotetsu Isane of the 4th Division: This dispatch is to inform Lieutenant Abarai Renji and Captain Kuchiki Byakuya of the 6th Division that Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia, acting captain of the 13th Division, has been admitted to the our medical facilities for treatment of injuries sustained during morning training exercises-”

The papers scattered noisily. Renji’s stomach lurched and he leapt to his feet with a roar, “WHAT? RUKIA? IS SHE ALRIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED?”

He’d practically blown his voice with that outburst and his knuckles turned white and numb from how hard he gripped the edge of his desk but he didn’t care. If something bad happened to her…he couldn’t even finish that thought.

The messenger flinched and nearly dropped her scroll. “I-I’m sorry, Lieutenant Abarai, I do not know the details of what happened.” She cleared her throat and finished relaying the memo to them in summary, “Lieutenant Kuchiki is in stable condition and we can confidently say her life is not in any danger. However, the captain detected some abnormalities in her reiatsu that made her very concerned. She is running tests as we speak.”

There was some relief that came with knowing she wasn’t in a life-or-death state, but Renji still felt like he was going to simultaneously throw up and pass out from worry. His rapidly weakening legs may have very well given out from under him had a hand not reached out and firmly grasped his shoulder to steady him. Renji whipped his head around, startled.

Byakuya’s expression was blank but Renji knew his captain was silently telling him to pull himself together, for both his sake and Rukia’s. He gave a terse nod once Renji managed to suppress most of the shaking. “Go. I will finish things here and meet you later.”

Though he’d regained enough command over his major motor functions to keep himself upright, Renji’s voice still faltered. “Thank you, Captain,” he choked out, his tongue dry and stuck to the roof of his mouth. Byakuya’s grip briefly flexed in imitation of a reassuring squeeze before letting go.

Renji skirted around his desk, all the while yanking off his lieutenant badge and stuffing it inside his uniform since he was technically now off-duty. Thanks to a new law enacted shortly after the war with the Quincies, any Shinigami attending to an immediate family emergency was automatically relieved from their post, though because so few of them even had immediate families this regulation had seldom been invoked since its conception.

The messenger scrambled to her feet and followed as he brushed past with a clipped “Let’s go.” She managed to stay even with his hastened stride until they got outside where she was swiftly left in the dust of his shunpo.

Thanks to the extraordinary speed he’d developed from years of dedicated training, it took less than 20 seconds for him to make the journey to the 4th Division’s campus entrance, though he probably could’ve done it in half that time had it not been for his preoccupied thoughts siphoning away at his concentration. In terms of speed among the current group of higher ranked officers of the Gotei 13 Renji was confident he most likely fell within the top five. He couldn’t say this with absolute certainty, however, as he’d never had the opportunity to confirm if anyone besides Captain Soi Fon and his own captain could outpace him. Rankings accuracy aside, he was among the elite Shinigami who were regarded as “exceptionally fast.”

So, understandably, he was amazed when the girl materialized next to him before he could even attempt to catch his breath. Even in the midst of such a critical situation the drill instructor side of him couldn’t help but be impressed whenever a young recruit showed promising talent.

“You’re pretty quick,” he commented approvingly as she moved to unlatch the gate.

She blinked up at him in surprise. “Ah…thank you, sir! It’s an honor to hear that from a ranked officer of your caliber!” Her bespectacled eyes shone with admiration.

“Yeah,” Renji responded absently, now filling with an uneasy dread as the door groaned open.

She beamed at him as they hurried inside and made haste towards the main medical building. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant Abarai! Lieutenant Kuchiki is in good hands. I’m sure she’s going to be fine!”

“Yeah,” he repeated with even less certainty than before.

By the time she dropped him off at the front entrance Renji was so on edge he barreled through the doors as nothing more than a black and red blur and charged straight past the terrified 4th Division staffers without a word. He didn’t bother stopping at the reception desk to ask which room Rukia was in. Not that it was necessary since he could just seek her out by reiatsu, anyway, and it didn’t take him long to pinpoint her location. With a little more focus, he was even able to pick up on the anomalies the messenger had mentioned.

He immediately understood why Captain Kotetsu had been worried; he’d never felt anything like that from Rukia’s spiritual pressure before, or anyone else’s for that matter. It was definitely hers but at the same time, somehow, it wasn’t, as if someone was constantly adjusting a radio tuning dial so while the output and volume were the same, the frequencies were crossing and fading in and out. At one point, just for a split second, he even thought he felt a flicker that resembled his own reiatsu, though that was probably just his imagination playing tricks on his frantic brain.

The door to her room had been left ajar so he slipped inside without a sound and almost collapsed from relief at the sight that greeted him. Next to the window Rukia lay in bed propped up by a fluffy white pillow, inert but fully conscious. The outer layer of her uniform had been removed and placed neatly folded on a chair in the corner. With her hands haphazardly draped across her lap and her head bowed, she painted the perfect picture of a droopy wilting plant until she sensed his presence and perked up instantly.

“Oh, Renji. You’re here.” She gave a weary smile and automatically reached out to him.

“Rukia,” his voiced cracked as he knelt by the bed and grasped her small hand in his, “are ya hurt? What happened?” Trying his best to remain calm, he did a quick visual once-over. There weren’t any visible cuts or bruises on her skin nor was any part of her wrapped in bandages or covered in gauze. She did appear slightly paler than usual but as far as he could tell she was uninjured.

Rukia bit her lip. “I must have over-exerted myself during training,” she admitted reluctantly. Seeing his eyes widen, she quickly added, “Don’t worry, Renji, I’m alright. Just tired. And nauseous.”

His heart ached for her. Employing the only method he could think to help her feel better, he lifted her slender hand to his lips. Each knuckle in turn was garnished with a sympathetic kiss. “You got sick?” he murmured into the back of her palm.

A soft finger stroking over his cheek let him know his sentiments had been received. “Once on the field and twice after coming here,” Rukia grimaced, “but it wasn’t too bad. I didn’t feel like eating this morning, thankfully.”

Renji was about to gently scold her for skipping breakfast when the cracked door flew wide open. Their joined hands dropped back onto the bed as the 4th Division’s lieutenant, Kotetsu Kiyone, waltzed in. Kiyone happened to be the former co-3rd seat of the 13th Division, serving as Rukia’s superior at first, then later her subordinate when she received the promotion to lieutenant. They remained friends even after Kiyone’s transfer to the 4th to serve under her older sister, Captain Kotetsu Isane.

“Kotetsu-dono!” Caught off guard as she was, Rukia looked genuinely pleased to see her and made to sit up straight.

Kiyone waved a hand to signal that wasn’t necessary. “Kuchiki-san! How are you feeling?” she asked in an overly chipper tone that gave Renji the odd feeling something was going on that he wasn’t privy to.

“Um…better. I still feel queasy though,” Rukia informed her.

“Oh, yes. That’s to be expected.” Kiyone bounced around on the balls of her feet, looking back and forth between Renji and Rukia eagerly.

Something was definitely up. Renji raised one eyebrow at her. “You look…happy.”

“Mmhmm!” Kiyone clasped her gloved hands together and beamed as Captain Kotetsu entered the room and stood beside her sister. In her arms she held a clipboard, which she gave a quick once-over before greeting them warmly.

“Abarai. Kuchiki.”

They nodded respectfully as best they could given their current positions. “Captain.”

“Well.” The captain lowered her clipboard. “The good news is, this is not an illness.”

“So she’s fine? This’ll go away soon?” Renji demanded.

Instead of giving him a straight affirmative answer, Captain Kotetsu looked to the side and drew in a deep breath. “Not…exactly,” she smiled, more to herself than them, “I’m afraid this will be very long-term.”

Next to her, Kiyone was practically vibrating.

Renji was thoroughly confused by everything that was currently going on around him. “Uh…Captain…I don’t understand…if she’s not sick…’an hang on, waddaya mean ‘long-term’?” he fumbled through each stilted question to the captain with a strained frown. Talking clearly while attempting to rationalize why the heads of the 4th Division were acting in such a bizarre manner was far more difficult than it looked.

At that point, the suspense was too much for Kiyone to take anymore. With a squeak of excitement, she threw her hands up in the air and blurted out at him, “You’re having a baby! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Rukia’s mouth fell open in shock.

Renji stared at the gleefully bobbing girl before them. No, that couldn’t be…he was sure he hadn’t heard her right. Desperate to stay grounded in reality, he rubbed his eyes with his free hand and gave a rough clear of his throat. Twice. Then calmly, so he wouldn’t mishear anything this time, he lowered his hand to his knee, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, what…?”

The hopping faltered momentarily as Kiyone burst out laughing while waving her hand in front of her face. “Oh, I wasn’t very clear was I? Abarai-kun, you’re not having the baby, Kuchiki-san is!” She frowned and tapped her chin. “Hmmm…although I guess that sort of means you are, too, now that I think about it…”

A bunch of asinine stuttering sounds warbled out of Renji’s gaping mouth. Everything in his vision was going fuzzy and a faint ringing noise started plaguing both ears. His head stiffly cranked itself to the taller of the two blurred shapes in front of him. “C-Captain…?” he croaked at it feebly.

Captain Kotetsu nodded and stepped in front of Kiyone with a sheepish laugh. “I’m afraid it’s just as she said. Kuchiki is, without a doubt, carrying a child.” She raised her clipboard and produced a thick black pen from somewhere on her person to skim down the top page. “Mm, yes. We did run every test twice to make absolutely sure. Though I must admit, at first the abnormal patterns to Kuchiki’s reiatsu made me think she might be…”

Renji tried to listen to what the captain was saying but kept getting distracted by the slight problem of having trouble remembering how to breathe air. Meanwhile, Rukia’s wide violet eyes were steadily growing wider and she looked more and more like she was dangerously close to becoming ill again.

“…and from what we’ve been able to determine, the fetus was likely conceived shortly before or around the time of your wedding,” Captain Kotetsu rambled on, oblivious to the fact that neither of the people she was addressing had absorbed a single word of what she previously said. The pen tapped several times on the clipboard before she gave them an apologetic glance. “Ah, it would help if you could give specific dates…?

“Er…d-definitely…not…before…” Renji stammered and he was suddenly too mortified to look anyone in the eye. Rukia’s head thrashed rapidly from side to side in confirmation.

“Oh, a wedding night baby! How nice.” The captain let out a laugh as silvery as her hair and jotted something down. Behind her, Kiyone flashed them an impressed thumbs up and mouthed Good job!

For a while, the only sound in the room came from the scratching of Captain Kotetsu’s pen. Renji took the opportunity to glance sidelong at Rukia again. If he thought she looked pale before, she was now a shade whiter than the sheets she clutched to her trembling chin.

“So…what now?” Renji asked uncertainly once the pen was lifted for good. He was trying his best to keep calm and collected, mainly for Rukia’s sake, but this was getting progressively more difficult as his head spun and his hand numbed from her tightening grip.

“Well…once she feels better you can take her home. And…we will monitor her condition closely. Have her come in every few weeks or so. Oh, and Kuchiki, please don’t use your zanpakuto for a while or stress your reiatsu too much. Hmm…while you could still lead your division in the administrative sense, you should probably be taken off the active duty roster…” Captain Kotetsu sounded more like she was rattling off vague ideas than relaying a clear set of instructions.

The couple’s rapidly increasing doubt must have been conveyed in their expressions for she quickly held up her hand in what she clearly thought was a confident gesture. “Now, I don’t want either of you to worry. It has been a while since we’ve dealt with a pregnancy, but…I’m sure we can handle it!” With a quick nod for emphasis and a gesture for her sister to follow, both captain and lieutenant exited the room.

Unsurprisingly, they did not leave behind the most reassured of parents-to-be.

“Renji…” Rukia breathed out once the door had clicked shut. It was the first time she’d spoken since Kiyone broke the news. “Are we…really having a baby?”

Renji blew out a breath of his own. He didn’t know Captain Kotetsu as well as her sister (which was to say, not very) but he knew enough to be certain that she wasn’t the type for practical jokes.

After briefly contemplating this, he sighed again. “Yeah…looks like it.” He ran his hand over his head and accidentally knocked his bandanas askew. There was no point in fixing them when he was shaking too much to tie a proper knot, not to mention his other hand was already currently occupied, so he didn’t even bother. They came off easily with one solid yank.

Rukia watched the discarded fabrics drop noiselessly onto the bed beside her and nodded slowly. “I see,” was all she said. One by one, her fingers unclenched and she lowered the now badly crimped sheet back into her lap. The feeling in Renji’s hand returned as her hold on him slackened as well.

They were given approximately half an hour to digest this bombshell before Byakuya arrived. Most of that time was spent in reflective silence, broken only when an orderly came in to give Rukia a light meal and a tonic for her upset stomach, and again when the division’s third seat and their good friend, Yamada Hanataro, briefly poked his head in the room to voice his congratulations. Apparently, word had spread fast in the 4th Division.

When Byakuya swept in, he was composed and calm as ever with only a small fluctuation to his normally steady reiatsu giving away how worried he actually was. “Rukia. You appear to be doing well,” he surmised after his eyes skimmed over her briefly. He didn’t even bother to acknowledge Renji. (Renji found this understandable; he wasn’t the one in the hospital bed after all.)

“I am, Nii-sama, thank you,” Rukia answered a pitch higher than usual.

Byakuya noticed, of course. His brow furrowed by the tiniest of fractions. “Have they determined anything?”

“U-um…well…that is…” she hesitated. Renji could see the cogs working furiously in her head. He knew she most likely wanted to tell Byakuya as she respected him too much to keep anything this big secret but the shock of the unexpected diagnosis was throwing her for a loop.

Not to mention, this was basically a flat-out admission to her own brother that they were sleeping together (which definitely wouldn’t be news to him seeing as he had been married once himself and knew exactly what activities were routinely practiced within a healthy marriage) but ever the easily embarrassed introvert, Rukia tended to keep a tight lid on every aspect of their private life together, even when it came to close friends. He doubted she’d said anything to Inoue yet or was ever planning on doing so in the future.

Feeling just as apprehensive as she looked, Renji squeezed her hand and sighed reluctantly, “Might as well tell ‘im now, Rukia. It’s gonna come out eventually, anyways.”

Renji’s presence was finally acknowledged by his captain looking at him in a way that made him very fearful of losing a good number of things attached to his body. “What does he mean by that?” Byakuya asked Rukia sharply while eyeing Renji’s uncharacteristically bared forehead with a mixture of suspicion and disapproval.

Reassured by Renji’s prompting, Rukia took a deep breath and adjusted herself off the pillow to sit up straight to answer her brother. “Nii-sama…” she began, confidently as possible. Her voice held steady as she glanced at Renji, who gave her the most encouraging smile he could muster despite growing increasingly tense and more fidgety with each passing second. “It appears I am…with child.” Having said that, she looked back at Byakuya a little more reluctantly and bit her lip, a slight flush coming back to her colorless cheeks.

Byakuya stilled. Slowly, his scrutinizing gaze left Renji and settled on his sister. Then for the first time that Renji could recall since the day he met him, his captain’s face softened completely and a tiny flicker of something akin to joy shone in his eyes. “You are with child?” he repeated in a hushed voice.

If they’d been waiting for a sign from the universe, that was definitely it. At those four small words, all the tension in Renji’s shoulders instantly slid right off and evaporated into nothing. He knew by the small sigh Rukia let out that she had fully relaxed as well. The air itself even felt easier to breathe and move about in.

It was apparent that, much like when they first got engaged, the majority of their anxieties had stemmed from the uncertainty of how Byakuya would take the news. But with that heartfelt response (for him at least), once again, they realized they had worried for naught. Of course he would be elated, even proud. True, the baby wouldn’t carry on the Kuchiki name, but seeing his beloved younger sister and trusted subordinate, whose union he had wholeheartedly (though somewhat ambiguously) blessed, content and thriving to the point of producing a child would certainly bring him at least some happiness.

Now that the mental blockades barricading in their own feelings were lifted, nothing was left suppress them and they swiftly spilled over.

“Yes.” Rukia looked back at Renji, her eyes starting to fill with moisture. From the pricking sensation in his own, Renji suspected he was on the verge of tearing up as well. “Renji and I…we’re having a baby,” she declared, her thumb absentmindedly caressing his knuckles. Excitement radiated from her, warm and bright, and it filled him completely until he felt like he would burst.

Forgetting his captain, forgetting all the fear and worry that overtook them at first, forgetting Rukia had spent the morning throwing up, Renji leaned forward with a choking sob of a laugh and kissed her fiercely with everything he had. He couldn’t help himself. He had never loved her more than he did right at that moment.

They became a family born from friendship as children, and now, as a man and woman united in love, they were creating an entirely new one. Everything in their lives, every hardship they’d endured and obstacle they’d faced and overcome, had led to this one thing: A single precious entity brought into existence by the bonds they shared.

Rukia initially baulked in surprise at the action but soon let go of his hand and returned it with full fervor. Adoration, heartache, joy, pain, gratitude. All those feelings and more, they poured into that one kiss. Words alone could never be enough.

“Ahem.”

Renji started and broke away from Rukia with a wet smack! They both turned towards the source of the cough with eyes half-lidded and hands still tangled through each other’s tresses.

Byakuya stood awkwardly over them, shoulders rigid and eyes deliberately averted.

“I believe…I am needed elsewhere,” he told them flatly, still refusing to grace them with his gaze, “Rukia, see to it you get your rest. Renji…” his eyes closed and his voice dropped slightly in warning, “…make sure you don’t disturb her.” Without further ado, Byakuya turned on his heel with a quiet “Congratulations” and headed for the door.

Renji winced guiltily and let go of Rukia. “Understood, Captain. Thank you.” he replied stiffly with his hands folded obediently in front of him, while a thoroughly reddened Rukia lay back on her pillow with a respectful “Yes, Nii-sama.”

After Byakuya left the room, however, they were somewhat less compliant.

Author’s Notes: Anything Byakuya does is my second favorite part of WDkALY and now he’s becoming one of my favorite characters to write little snippets for.

Normally I’m not one for featuring non-canon characters but Hanataro just didn’t quite fit in the role of someone Renji would have any sort of affectionate mentor/parent-like feelings towards so the messenger ended up being some random 4th Division newbie. We don’t know her name though because Renji forgot to ask. lol

Also remember how I mentioned in the notes for Part II that this title is like a mega pun? Go look up all the meanings of “issue” and you’ll see what I’m talking about. XD

Continued in [PART V- THE DENIAL]

#RenRuki #tapfic #tapart #FOREVER BElonging WITH YOU #HALFWAY POINT!#And it actually is two away from the halfway point in page numbers so that's cool lol #Four chapters down four to go

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