#omaeda go stand at the back

[dont-look-up]

Gotei 13 Class Picture

[toyatominaga]

Is Soi Fon Autistic?

Now before you come at me, this is very much a fan theory that I��m analyzing. As an autistic person myself, I grew attached to Soi Fon when I was young and she’s been my favorite character since. For some reason, I oddly related to her struggles. I’m going to be diving into the different autistic traits that Soi Fon tends to portray in the series. So without further ado, here is my interpretation of all this!

1. Autistic people are cold/lack emotion

Autistic people are often stereotyped as lacking emotion and coming off as rude or cold. Soi Fon is well known, especially early on in the manga that she is a cold person who seemingly lacks no remorse. Ex. Attacking Kiyone without hesitation. She comes off coldly to Omaeda as well, and even though it seems bad, it is more so the way she communicates. We can tell that Soi Fon actually cares about Omaeda and sees him as a worthy subordinate. Perhaps, she doesn’t know how to convey those feelings in a typical manner. For autistic people, sometimes conveying and communicating emotions properly is difficult and at times miscommunications can come off as rude unintentionally.

2. Autistic People thrive in structure/order

This is very true for many autistic people. Having a schedule or routine that is consistent and regimented is very beneficial to us. Soi Fon values order and routine. She runs her squad with rigor and follows the soul society’s rules to a tee. Now here’s the kicker. When Soi Fon’s routine or sense of order is interrupted she loses it. This is very much seen when Yamamoto is killed and she responds negatively to how everyone is reacting so calmly. Curiously, she is the only captain to act so intensely in this moment, Komamura only yelling to stop her, only emphasizing how she stands out from the rest of the captains. Additionally, she in a sense doesn’t know how to “read a room”. This can also be seen when she yells at Squad Zero. Despite everyone being calm and collected, she loses it once more, further causing irritation in others. Another example, is when Yoruichi left. Being raised and engrained so hard to be a soldier, Soi Fon took on that model as her life’s destiny. From there, everything she does is her duty. Yoruichi came in and made Soi Fon question her structure, allowing her to open up as well. Of course, when Yoruichi left Soi Fon held a very deep grudge and that turned her life around. She had to change everything she was used to, which is really hard for an autistic person to do. Even the way Soi Fon talks is more formal, seen when she is discussing things or when preferring to use an honorific for Yoruichi.

3. Autistic people have special interests

Soi Fon’s special interests comes in the form of black cats and Yoruichi. Soi Fon is immediately infatuated with Yoruichi and devotes her life to her, seeing her as the only thing that mattered. Everything was focused on Yoruichi. This is seen too when Soi Fon is older. Seen a lot in the filler episodes but also in some canon, Soi Fon is obsessed with anything to do with black cats, due to Yoruichi having the power to turn into one. It even gets to the point to which she throws a tantrum and nearly blows up the Seireitei over a cat trading card. She is also seen in cutscenes and in some art playing with cat plushies and wearing cat themed clothing, further showing her interest. Sometimes Soi Fon’s interest becomes overly obsessive and it clouds her judgment at times, leading to her also losing sight of who she is.

4. Autistic people struggle with expressing and understanding their emotions

This is a big one that is scene throughout. Soi Fon is probably one of the most emotional characters in the series. If anything goes against the rules or her values she is not afraid to fight back and voice her opinions even if the emotion may seem over exaggerated. Of course, Soi Fon cries when she sees Yoruichi, understandably. Later, she is seen in various captains meeting calling out people and voicing her opinion. Oftentimes, her opinions fall on deaf ears and she is ignored or put down. She comes off as naive due to this, and of course that very well may be. She is also young so it’s understandable. In most instances we see, Soi Fon reacts in anger and/or sadness. She is angry about Yamamoto, about Yoruichi, about squad zero, she gets angry about rules being broken, etc. So one would just think she is just an angry person. But, she’s more complex than that. Additionally, she is shown to not fully understand other people’s perspectives. This is seen when she doesn’t understand why others aren’t grieving Yama the way she was or never forgiving Kisuke for causing Yoruichi to leave. Soi Fon isn’t always a cold and brash person, in fact she grows in many ways over the course of the series. She is still very rigid in her ways but she is proven to be more kind and thoughtful than she lets on, as once proven by Rukia saying that she was always nice in her opinion. This only goes to show how unique Soi Fon’s emotions are.

5. Preference for Isolation

Soi Fon is often illustrated as preferring to do things alone at times, especially in training. We see this when she goes off to train without Omaeda during TYBW. She most likely trained alone after Yoruichi left. She seems shy at times in large groups. She also doesn’t have that many close relationships.

6. Autistic people are more sensitive to things

This is a small thing, but nonetheless I’m including it. When Omaeda catches Soi Fon after being caught upon launching her Bankai, she responds by telling him to get his disgusting hands off her. Usually, one might not imagine someone who was just rescued to say something so cold, but it also goes to show that maybe Soi Fon is avoidant of physical touch. We see later that Yoruichi has touched her a few times and Soi Fon doesn’t seem fazed, even comforted, maybe showing that Yoruichi is the only person she is okay with touching her.

7. Autistic people are detail-oriented and intelligent

Soi Fon proves to be fairly intelligent and tactful. She is really good at observing things and quickly executing plans. For example, when she gathered notes on Urahara not only was she determined, but she was amazingly thorough and detail-oriented as commented by Yoruichi.

8. Autistic people are often misunderstood

One thing that is for certain, is that Soi Fon is incredibly misunderstood as a character. A lot of Bleach fans dislike her because of her cold attitude, without looking into the deeper reasons as to why she is the way she is. Also the way she reacts to change is caught off guard by others and even her opinions are often ignored or dismissed. We unfortunately don’t get to see all of Soi Fon, so we don’t know for sure how she reacts in every situation.

[archer3-13]

for fun, thoughts on each of the original gotei 13's captains and lieutenants in relation to the soul society arc

yamamoto: for the kind of character he is, i've always rather liked him. he hits the kubo sweet spot of a sympathetic monster, and overall he serves as an effective symbol of the calcification thats gripped soul society for thousands of years but without being completely unreasonable in the process. ontop of that i do appreciate the suprise of the tybw noting how the original gotei 13 were far stronger then the modern gotei, but because of the intervening centuries they lost the blood thirsty edge of warlords that made them so terrifying, because it adds an interesting dimensionality to the sentimentality yamamoto often displays to that modern gotei 13 and what distinguishes him from ywach despite being similarly brutal, overpowering authoritarian figures. which can be further complicated by reading into yamamoto and his history as a stand in figure for japan and its history as a whole, though obviously thats just reading into things.

sasakibe: like so many figures in bleach, more a plot device then a man. i like his design, i like his power, i like his relation to yamamoto and the grief that his death inspires in the resolute head captain. but hes otherwise such a non entity that theres not much else to say.

soifon: shes cute and i find it absolutely adorable how shes a murder simp for yoroichi. aside from that serves as a pretty fun minor antagonist in the soul society arc, and i enjoy how shes very a 'do as i say not as i do' kinda person who cares waaaay to much for her subordinates despite being the head of the gotei black ops murder squad. which arguably ties into her complicated feelings regarding yoroichi and the feeling of being abandoned when yoroichi had to go into exile [which makes it all the cuter that they patch things up, albeit off screen].

omaeda: not a fan as i think he can be a bit too annoying compared to his moments of competence, and the joke of 'big goofball is actually an elite assassin' does wear thin for me. i do appreciate how hes genuinely devoted to his captain and how that feeds back into soifon being more willing to do stupid things to keep his ass alive due to her own history.

gin: gin saaaaaan! always been a fan of the shit stirrer and his grins and constantly closed eyes. gin is one of the characters kubo used to best effect in all of bleach i'll go out and say, serving as an excellent red herring in the soul society arc, and a strong third party looking for the right opportunity in the winter war ontop of his tragic and well presented death. plus hes just a fun unnerving dude who can easily go from goofy to terrifying looking at the drop of a hat and for whatever kubo needed him to do.

kira: hes okay, helping to make the soul society arc and its mysteries all the more intriguing, and his power is neat. plus his gloomy demeanour does well at hiding how intelligent and decisive he is in a fight which is nice. as it stands however hes one of many characters that feels unfulfilled in terms of potential, not helped by whatever the fuck was going on with him in the tybw.

unohana: theres a reason everyone liked her even before the tybw and kenpachi 'mc fucking losing it' unohana became realized. kubo just did a really good job at giving a character with such a non threatening design overall the atmosphere of such a potential dangerous person well still overall acting in a kind and mothering way in most of her interactions. i still find her shikai kinda confusing in relation to her bankai though, but thats retroactive writing for ya.

isane: i get why she ended up being pushed into the role of fourth division captain at the end of the series as there really wasn't any other option for it that would make sense. but at the same time it does frustrate me because i feel like with that end in mind it would have been amazing to see kotetsu develop the confidence or display the combat skills that speak of potential captaincy over the course of the series, but she ultimately just kinda white mages it up well deferring to her captain. which is even more of a shame because i love her personality and her design.

aizen: aizen is amazing in the soul society arc, because hes an incredibly successful twist villain whos plan makes sense and is intimidating not because of its complexity but because of its simplicity. hes unnerving because of how he combines the captain aizen qualities we briefly glimpse of affability and politeness, even kindness, with casual and monstrous cruelty and overwhelming power once the mask comes off. aizen is fantastic in the soul society arc. that all goes out the window following the soul society arc, where after he just walks around preening like any other peacock chess master villainous overlord about how everything is going according to keikaku, not helped by his plans and what influence hes had on things becoming progressively more complex, far reaching, and stupid as the series progresses. its really not surprising why hes such a contentious villain for so many people.

hinamori: man she gets the shit kicked out of her, to the point that it gets really cruel and sad. and the worst part is that theres never really a sense of pay off for all that suffering either, she gets the shit kicked out of her and then fades into the background of relevancy. i feel it woulda been cool if instead she got to be a captain following the timeskip into the fullbringer arc, get some satisfying sense of karmic self actualization following all the shit she gets pushed through. woulda been more interesting then just dumping the visored into the empty spots anyways.

byakuya: pretty boy pretty man. an effective rival antagonist for ichigo to match up against in the soul society arc, and i find his development from cold and ruthless to finally displaying the buried emotions and affections he has for others in his life to be some strongly compelling stuff given the heartbreak and tragedy in his life, as well as an effective commentary on class, position and the stifling effect that rules and the expectations of conformity and propriety can have on individuals.

renji: he deserves to be one of the main characters i'd say. overall solid stuff.

komamura: big fluffy dog man ruff ruff. theres a lot to unpack with komamura that i feel bleach never really did, but what was done with him was at least compelling and interesting to see. plus he fights far more intelligently then his broiling blood and brute force powers might suggest he would which is fun to watch. plus hes a big dog man! whos a good boy? he is!

iba: well an easily likeable character, being a gruff exterior dude with a surprisingly insightful mind on people and their character, like isane he doesn't really... do much outside of accompanying his captain. and well hes a total devoted bro, it is frustrating the he ends the series in a captains seat without being allowed to showcase the kind of potential that would inspire that positioning.

kyoraku: an effective captain jack sparrow type, who gets more compelling but also scarier the more insight we get into the tragedies that have befallen his own life which tend to scale with how viscous he can be in proportion during combat.

nanao: i feel like her fight in the tybw really helped salvage her as a character, because well she was perfectly acceptable until then she was also kinda just background noise as kyorakus secretary like lieutenant who freaked out hard to show off how powerful yamamoto is. her fight with the chicken god angel however opened a lot more compelling aspects of her character and the ending involving gaining courage from kyoraku assuring her he'll always support her is sweet in relation to how their character dynamic is a lot more give and take equally between the two.

tosen: i feel like kubo ran into the problem of what to do with tosen when it came to how aizens power works, and so he just kinda gave up and made tosen a surprise third bad guy as a character. i say this because he gets his ass handed to him quite brutally by zaraki and has a whole little character thing during that fight, and then the betrayal happens and he suddenly feels like a completly different character acting like he shouldn't be keeled over/nearly dead from being almost killed by kenpachi like ten minutes ago. doesnt help that his contributions during the winter war are mostly just to fuel komamura and hisagis own angst by being as villainously despicable as possible in the brief ten minutes he has showing off weird new powers that never really get expanded on again and then unceremoniously killed off in an abrupt and cruel fashion to have aizen be a cheeky bastard.

hisagi: i feel like kubo wanted hisagi to be more of a thing then he ended up being, but what is there is a solid character nonetheless who ends the series getting a bit of a yamcha treatment unfortunately. which is rather frustrating.

hitsuyaga: theres a lot more anger and impatience in him when we first meet him compared to later, which could arguably be said as character development or could be called out as inconsistent but im not gonna split hairs. hes the kind of character the inevitably gets popular and in his particular case i do rather like him so thats a plus.

rangiku: like gin shes great though for different reasons, and like a lot of characters like her i feel her more interesting qualities, the ruthlessness she often displays in combat, her intelligence and master of social situations, often get lost in favour of people slobbering over her sex appeal. shes a real fun character overall though.

zaraki: a bit overhyped if im being honest, but as far as battle maniac intense bloodlust dudes go hes a solid 8/10. it helps that hes a lot more emotionally vulnerable and complex in that regard then shonen battle maniac bloodlust dudes can often be.

yachiru: adorable murder girl is an adorable murder girl mascot. the stuff in regards to her relation to kenpachi not just as a girl he takes care off but a manifestation of his inner desire for companionship and the sword spirit stuff are i feel more interesting then she herself is.

mayuri: if his first appearance hadn't been so harrowing i feel he would have ended up being more popular then he is. he serves as a personal demon for uryu to fight very effectively, but as others have pointed out he quite obviously gets reconnected to be more charming and goofy then he originally was in later appearances. i actually find his tybw role to be the most interesting however, as it often feels hes at something of a crossroads there still embodying the older gotei mindset of peace at any cost, that older darkness, thats coming into conflict with the newer ideals and gentleness the gotei is starting to move towards thanks to figures like ichigo, a conflict he only resolves on a personal level upon nemu's death by not so much repenting as resolving that hes not gonna wallow in the old darkness and change with the times instead. that's the way i interpretted it anyways, which i feel gels with how he seems far more gentle with hachigo nemuri then he was with nemu from what little of them we see. also, i do find it interesting how he seems genuinely taken aback to some extent by ikkaku genuinely thanking him for saving zaraki, which when combing through what details we have of his past suggests some desire to actually connect with the people around him that he tends to bury due to his research and troubles with interpersonal relations in the past. which is all fascinating in its own way, but also as noted before, all comes from his post uryu fight soft character retcon where he becomes goofy murder scientist as opposed to horrific murder scientist.

nemu: eh. in her first appearence shes more so there to remind us that mayuris a monster. and in later appearances shes just kinda there to be weird fetish bait for villain powers, and unnaturally strong. and then she blows up. point being i feel like she never really finds solid footing as a character, which makes it difficult for me to really care all that much. it kinda happens at the very end, but again... she blows up pretty quickly after. essentially needed more time to cook as it were.

ukitake: less developed kyoraku but instead of being a jack sparrow type hes a sickly man whos secretly a bad ass. i dont dislike him, i just kinda wish we got to see more of him before he croaked.

kaien: is black haired ichigo. effective in relation to rukia and her character journey and story, but i dont personally have much interest in him.

[alexiethymia]

One thing I love most about Hinamori, which is consistent in her characterization, is her nature to help people.

She rarely appears in the manga, but that core trait of hers is always reflected whether in serious moments, or lighthearted moments like her reassuring Omaeda, or wanting to help Kyoraku in the Thousand Year Blood War arc.

She’s introduced as a peace-loving, sweet girl, who worries about other people and wants to avoid conflict. But one establishing character moment is when she stands up to Byakuya - a Captain - for Renji, as well as in her past when she disobeys orders to go back and save Hisagi.

I really love that part of hers in Prelude for the Straying Stars because it shows that her core morals are not necessarily the same as Soul Society’s. It’s also not foolish naivety or idealism. She knows that she doesn’t stand a chance against hollows sixth years are having problems with, when she herself is only a first year, but her principles can’t have her abandon someone in need, never mind that it’s someone more powerful than her. She doesn’t ask Renji and Kira to do the same as her, but she’s not willing to betray her principles either. Yet in doing so, she does end up inspiring them too.

I also love when she shows up to Fake Karakura town even when no one expects it of her, because it’s something she has to do. Even against a most beloved Captain, she will do the right thing. (Even in her hypnosis, never did she think of joining Aizen knowing what he was doing was bad. At most she wanted to ‘save’ him, thinking that he was also being controlled, but after she processed that, she stands against him.)

Even after suffering the worst of betrayals, and two traumatic events, she still retains that nature of wanting to extend a helping hand regardless of who the other person is, whether it’s something as serious as wanting to offer help to the then Captain-Commander, Kyoraku in his fight, or in comedic moments like going after the 11th Division to point them in the right way to the meeting. To retain that selfless nature despite how much her goodwill has been exploited and to have that courage to face impossible odds just to help a friend, to me, shows just how strong she is.

[berrymascarpone]

Finally got some time and motivation to watch the new episodes of TYBW, so I thought I’d write down my thoughts, starting with..episode 2, which I think raises a lot of interesting worldbuilding questions.

1. Ukitake!!!! hope he gets to do more in the anime

2. So Shunsui left some traps...i don't remember exactly if they get Seireitei back at the end but if so I hope he disarms those traps soon…

3. The Quincy used reishi to create their palace? Does this mean they are all made of Reishi? Have they done the thing where they turn their bodies into reishi through some kind of converter like the Karakura gang had to do in the Soul Society arc? Are they all in that undead/not quite living state? Would explain how they've been around for so long without dying like regular humans. Which would also make Ishida one of the only really ‘alive’ Quincies, i.e. someone who hasn’t been made of reishi for hundreds of years.

4. So from what I understood, the Quincies were already standing in the corresponding locations in the Wandenreich when they merged the two worlds (the shadows/Wandenreich with Soul Society/Seireitei), which means the Quincies had to have positioned themselves around where their targets were (especially Jurgem, he appears in the 1st division pretty quickly). Also makes me wonder if some unfortunate shinigami just happened to be standing where a wall was and got, uh, embedded within.

5. “I don’t mind absurdity,” Mayuri says, while dressed as a giant glowing sunflower.

6. Ok, so they came from the literal shadows, and you're telling me all the shinigami needed to prevent this was a shitton of LED lights? And Mayuri told no one, and only modified his own lab? Though, considering how much weird and useful stuff he has in his lab it's probably one of the key places to save, but a heads up for everyone else would've been nice!

7. Love the scene with Hitsugaya accepting Matsumoto's help. Good on him for not buying into all that toxic masculinity that so many people in the Gotei seem to be espousing. Also their combined technique is actually pretty cool, using the laws of physics to give them an advantage. I just wish there was better payoff than: psych! your physics trick has nothing in the face of my pure overwhelming power!

8. Putting aside why BG9 seems to be one of the only Quincies so far to advance to modern weaponry, I'm also kind of surprised that Omaeda and Soi Fong knew what machine guns are. They don't seem like the type to keep up with living world trends like that. I'll just hand wave it away with the rest of the examples of living world culture bleeding into Soul Society.

9. A post credit scene!! With Ichigo!!! He is once again undergoing a mysterious trial where no one has told him the rules (I assume), so business as usual. I don't remember this part in the manga, so I'm interested to see what they add. I assume there was some extra training after he fixed his bankai, and this is it? Irazusando is a pretty ominous name though...I fear that our boy might have some suffering ahead (as usual). Also interesting, because there is a distinct Shinto theme going for the Irazusando (the torii gate, the shide streamers), while Ichibei is clearly a Buddhist warrior-monk inspired character, though I suppose there is a lot of crossover for those two religions in Japan.

[bleached-socks]

I don’t think it’s Omaeda or Nanao. Omaeda hadn’t really had the character development necessary for Bankai and Nanao only just got her Zanpakuto so she hasn’t had time.

Mashiro is probably the most likely in universe because she’s the oldest, but we have barely seen any of her in the series. We don’t even know what her Shikai is. So narratively it wouldn’t make sense for her to get one (yes I know the same can be said of Isane and Tetsuzaemon, who were implied to get bankai, but that’s only after the time skip and I have a LOT of problems with the time skip, but that’s another post).

So that leaves Izuru, Momo, Rangiku, and Yumichika as potential candidates.

Izuru:

I think unfortunately Izuru wouldn’t make it yet, because I don’t feel like he’s gone through enough to get it yet. Shuhei had to have his beliefs challenged many times and he got his Bankai by staying true to his convictions. Renji got his by casting aside the idea that he had to fit into a mold and resolving that nothing can ever change the core of who he is. I don’t think Izuru has been challenged enough in canon to establish his beliefs to that extent. Though if he were to get bankai, I think it would have worked in the Shusuke Amagai arc.

In that arc, he grows confident in himself and his abilities and had to stand strong in face of being betrayed by yet another captain. Unfortunately he was pushed to the side for Ichigo to step in, but I still think this arc could have at least been a big push towards bankai. Y’know, if it was canon.

Momo:

Momo has been through a lot, her entire worldview was challenged by Aizen’s betrayal. She has definitely experienced challenges on the scale of the other bankai users. And she’s overcome a lot of them. It took a while, even in the Fake Karakura Town Arc she still called Aizen “Captain.” But we see in TYBW that she’s far more sure of herself and actually has a wholesome dynamic with Shinji.

I think that she could easily gain her bankai by being challenged in a similar way to Shuhei: bringing up her loyalty to her old captain and forcing her to make a statement about who she is as an individual. Her answer would have to be different though. A major part of Shuhei’s conflict was about the beliefs Tosen taught vs how he strayed from those beliefs in the end. Momo’s conflict however was that the man she’d obsessed with wasn’t real, that the person she’d build herself around want actually who she thought he was. Her development would have to be standing on her own, not leaning on anyone. Not Aizen, not Shinji, not Renji or Izuru, but herself. Finding her freedom to stand on her own.

Narratively it works especially well because we has so much focus on her in the Soul Society arc, as well as the focus on Aizen, that her gaining bankai to show her independence would be a good way to wrap up that character arc.

Rangiku:

She’s been around for a while. She’s been deserted by her captain (Isshin) and betrayed by her friend (Gin). But I don’t think her beliefs have been challenged enough to get bankai. She could possibly achieve it by pure training since she is one of the oldest lieutenants (not counting the vizoreds), but she hasn’t shown an interest in doing so. I think she has the potential, but she’d need a lot more motivation than anything we’ve seen from her.

Yumichika:

This one is interesting. Yumichika was one of the first characters we met, and has been a staple for the series, as he was part of the team stationed in Karakura Town during the arrancar attacks and was also on of the people to go to the World of the Living during the Lost Agent arc to give Ichigo his powers back. He’s important to the narrative, so he’s more likely to get special treatment from the story.

Yumichika also has an established dynamic with his Zanpakuto, like Ichigo, Renji, and Shuhei. He’s one of the few who’s relations with their Zanpakuto are actually developed. We see Ichigo and and Renji interacting with their Zanpakuto, and Shuhei talks about how he doesn’t like Kazeshini’s shape. Kenpachi, as another example, has an established dynamic with his Zanpakuto because he ignored her for so long (and also has technically been interacting with her the entire time). Aside from them Yumichika is the one with the most established relationship with his zanpakuto.

Yumichika has also experienced tremendous growth over the series. He started as only every fighting physically to align himself with Squad 11’s ideals. As the series progresses, he finds himself willing to use his true Zanpakuto when it is truly necessary. And in TYBW he uses kido, in front of Ikkaku. And he was prepared to use his true Zanpakuto in front of everyone to face off against zombie Toshiro! That’s character development!

His character progression is leading up to him being fulling confident in his place in the squad and him being able to use his true powers freely. Thus, I feel like he’s on the track to get bankai already. He’s got the parallel with Ikkaku, who’s already gained bankai. Yumichika is also a lot more powerful than he is believed to be, with his in-universe evaluations being based on his restricted abilities. I think he’s definitely going to get bankai, he just needs more time to cook.

But the question remains. Who would get it first: Momo or Yumichika?

It’s tough because it relies on hypotheticals. I think narratively it would have been best for Momo it get her bankai during TYBW to establish her independence even while Aizen is a major player in the conflict. But because that obviously didn’t happen, I don’t know when the next crisis she’d need it for would arise.

Momo seems like the type where she’d need a catalyst event to get her bankai like Renji (Rukia’s execution) and Shuhei (the whole thing with Hikone).

Yumichika on the other hand feels like he could get there on his own with training, a la Ikkaku, Byakuya, and Toshiro.

So the question becomes, can Yumichika complete his training for bankai before Momo comes into another crisis to get bankai?

I’m going to have to say yes, I think Yumichika would pull it off.

[shadowsnlace]

Hi. I hope this massage finds you well. I love your writting and how you grasp each character's personality.

I'm not sure if this is allowed because i don't think it fits in a category but If it's not much problem I would like to request something a little big for valentines Day. With the gotei 13 captains and lieutenants + ikkaku. Fell free to skip anyone if you think it's too much or you're not feeling it. ANYWAYS, are you familiar with the famous dialogue of the incredibles animation?

Lucius:Honey? Where's my super suit? ( in this case zanpakuto I guess.)

Honey:What?

Lucius:Where - is - my - super - suit?

Honey:I, uh, put it away.

Lucius:Where?

Honey:Why do you need to know?

Lucius:I need it!

Honey:Uh-uh! Don't you think about running off doing no derrin'-do. We've been planning this dinner for two months!

Lucius:The public is in danger!

Honey:My evening's in danger!

Lucius:You tell me where my suit is, woman! We are talking about the greater good!

Honey:Greater good?' I am your wife! I'm the greatest *good* you are ever gonna get!

I know it's already very clear and doesn't leave much to the imagination but I really really like to see it in context and your distinctly 'you' way of writing it.

Again feel free to ignore if it's too much. I still love you.

Ps how is that kenpachi story you mentioned coming along?

I’m doing great! :) I am really glad to hear my stuff is hitting the mark for you :) First, I am VERY familiar with The Incredibles, I own both movies! Second, as stated in my rules, I only do one group per request. So, since I seem to always be writing for the captains, I’m going to switch up and write for the lieutenants.

The Kenpachi story is titled “Forbidden” and it is completely outlined and I am writing it now. I am going to wait until I have all the parts done and then publish them so I don’t lose momentum and no one has to wait for parts to eek out. ;)

Sorry this is late for Valentine’s Day!

So, here’s the set up: A special Valentine’s Day dinner and night of romance is being cancelled because our lieutenants have been called to duty and their s/o.s are trying to withhold their zanpaktos to keep them from leaving.

Nano - Don’t make her take off her glasses! She will not put up with your antics when she has been called to duty! You hold out for about 30 seconds to get your disappointment across but know not to cross the “pissed off” line.

Omaeda - You are standing by the door with his zanpakto in hand and telling him to take his time. You are glad for a chance to enjoy your chocolates without his paws swiping them out of the box he bought for you. Enjoy a quiet bath with candles and then cuddle up with a hot book or movie. 

Izuru - He is truly upset that he has to ruin your plans. He promises to make it up to you when he returns. And, you know he will with interest -- the oral sex alone will last until you beg him to stop because you can’t take anymore. You hand over the zanpakto and he gives you a deep kiss before he leaves.

Isane - Dear, sweet Isane is caught between not wanting to upset you and her fear of what Unohana will do if she’s late for an important mission. You can see the volleying between the two like a ball in a tennis match. The moment she wrings her hands, you turn over the zanpakto with a kiss and telling her to be safe.

Momo - Momo is a fiery one, she can just as easily fuss at you as try to be sweet about it. But, as you stand there with her zanpakto behind your back playing keep-away, she grabs you, kisses you deep, reaches around to grab the sword, and waits for you to let go to put your arms around her. She’s a smart one too ;)

Renji - Faced with your snarky ire, Renji will fidget a bit. He knows Byakuya is waiting for him. When you say you forgot where you hid Zabimaru, he goes pale and looks ill. Luckily, he is already familiar with all your usual hiding spots and finds his zanpakto. The kiss good-bye is laced with nipping teeth and a growl that he’s going to punish you good when he gets home. 

Tetsuzaemon - Mr. Macho Man, Duty First will quietly stand with his arms folded and let your words wash over him like an afternoon breeze. No matter what you say, there’s no getting a rise out of him. He’s too manly to be swayed. “Zanpakto. Now.” You hand it over with a snappish remark about how unimportant you are to him. Then, a gentle hand on your arm as you turn away reels you back to his broad chest. As he tips your face up to his, “You are everything to me, you know that.” His kiss will convey the truth of those words. And then he will leave without a glance back. 

Shuhei - Faced with you standing naked holding his zanpakto, Shuhei is frozen in place. He can’t stop looking at you. He doesn’t even see the sword. You know Kensei will yell at him if he’s late so you hand over Kazeshini. Shuhei absently takes it, takes a few steps toward the door as you follow -- all the while his eyes never leave their path over your lovely naked body. It isn’t until he bumps into the front door that he snaps out of his trance. He gives you a kiss that seems to keep him stuck to your lips even though he’s taken 2 steps out the door. You hope his hard-on goes down by the time he sees Kensei. 

Rangiku - You refuse to hand over her zanpakto and she will coo “Aw, I know you don’t want me to go, but I have to go. The captain needs me.” Right after that she will laugh and tickle you until you give up the location of her sword or pee yourself. Either way, you get a tight hug and sweet kiss before she leaves. 

Ikkaku - He grabs his wooden sword and heads for the door. You hang on his arm, dragged along like you weigh nothing. You finally yell that you’re sorry and you’ll get his zanpakto right away. Once you hand it over, he smacks your ass just enough to sting as he leans in for a kiss. Ikkaku will grin and tell you to be ready when he gets back. (That means well-fed and well-rested so you’ll have plenty of energy because he’s going to wear you out by railing you all over the house)

Akon - Always calm, Akon will patiently wait until you’ve run through whatever you have to say. He will sweetly kiss your cheek and whisper in your ear, “When I get back, I’m going make you cum so hard  and so much you might pass out.” He’s got great reflexes and catches the zanpakto as it slips from your now-gone-lax-from-his-dirty-talk fingers. 

Rukia - Rukia will be nice as she tells you she has to go on a mission. The moment you try to keep her zanpakto from her, she will fuss, say you’re being childish, and demand you hand it over. However, she will promise to make it up to you when she gets home with a deep kiss to seal the promise. 

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

could I request a story where Momo meets Hitsugaya when he’s a zombie? thanks!

It's Him

Rating: K+ for mild violence

Synopsis: 'Momo twists back to Toshiro, who is frozen midway through raising Hyourinmaru. “It’s you, right? Shiro-chan?” '

Setting: minutes before Toshiro [as a zombie] arrives to attack Ikkaku and Yumichika.

AN: All right, the first of the requests! This was an interesting one to write. I wanted to do something different from the last time I tackled this scenario. I think if Momo had really met Toshiro while he was a zombie, he’d attack her like he did everyone else, but for this fic I’m making an exception. Also, I am writing this under the impression that Giselle can telepathically summon her zombies. Hope you enjoy it!

________________________________

All around Momo are the sounds of battle -- explosions, blades clashing, taunts and cries echoing from a long way. No matter how many fights Momo gets involved in, she never gets used to these sounds. Her frown deepens as she tries to focus solely on healing Soi-Fon.

“How much longer?” Shinji asks her.

“Almost done, Captain. She should regain consciousness soon.”

“Should hope so, we’re gonna need-”

A howl of pain cuts through the air. It’s quickly followed by two other screams. Momo goes rigid, widened eyes looking in the direction they came from. “That sounded close!”

Shinji grimaces. “No shit. If that’s any indication, there’s probably a Quincy heading for us.”

Omaeda, sitting next to his captain, holds his unconscious sister closer. “What’re we going to do?”

The fifth division captain shakes his head and mutters a curse under his breath, then turns to the lieutenants. “Hina, we’ll go investigate. Omaeda, take your sister and captain away from here. We’ll meet up with you after we’ve dealt with this.”

Momo deactivates the healing kido and stands with a nod. Omaeda looks unsure, and it takes everything in Momo to put on a reassuring smile. “I’ll come back to heal them, I promise.”

Although still not looking convinced, the second division lieutenant hoists his captain on to his shoulder as Shinji and Momo sprint away. She can’t sense the reiatsu from here, too faint and flickering in and out of her senses. As she nears though, she gasps. Their seventh seat. “Sir, Higuchi-san is there!”

Shinji’s eyes narrow. “He’s in a bad way. If he’s like that, then the others are too.”

A minute later and they find him lying face down, a deep, bloody gash across his back.

“Higuchi-san!” Momo runs over to her subordinate, but Shinji doesn’t follow.

“Hold up, the enemy might be around!” he warns.

Momo doesn’t listen, already kneeling at Higuchi’s side. He’s out cold, but it’s not surprising given his wound. She glances around to the three other unconscious Shinigami nearby, all with similar wounds across their chests or backs. Whoever did this wanted them dead quickly, to not waste time fighting them.

Momo starts to tie her sleeves back; she has her work cut out for her before she returns to healing Soi-Fon. “Sir, I’m going to heal Higuchi-san. I think we should send a signal to the fourth division.”

Midway through her sentence there’s the whoosh of a flash-step behind her. She registers it too late.

“Oi, Hinamori!”

Her head shoots up at her captain’s call, but before she can respond, there’s a sharp whirl, and a glint in her peripheral. Her heart pounds erratically when she realises a blade stopped only a hair’s breadth away from slicing into her throat. It’s steady, unmoving even after she turns her head to it in disbelief. She doesn’t sense a reiatsu coming from behind her, but vaguely notices the shadow the wielder casts over her. Slowly, still coming out of shock, she twists around.

Toshiro stands over her, his skin drained of colour and clad in the clothes of the enemy. He’s completely still, not even blinking, and it seems not even breathing. Momo’s blood runs cold at the flatness in his eyes, and both in fear and bewilderment, she utters, “S-Shiro-chan?”

The nickname slips out without her realising, but it has an effect on her friend. His eyes widen, as if only just registering who he’d aimed his Zanpakuto at. Hyourinmaru briefly trembles in his grasp.

Too many questions run through her mind, she doesn’t know where to start. While the beginning of a question comes tremble out a question, her captain comes charging forward.

“Oi, get moving!” Shinji commands, unsheathing Sakanade. “That ain’t Hitsugaya!”

Toshiro eyes turn to steel when they lock on the fifth division captain. He pulls his sword away from Momo and prepares to deflect Shinji’s attack. Against her better judgement, Momo flings herself up to stand between them and throws up her hands. “Captain, wait!”

Shinji skids to a stop and looks at her as if she’s lost her mind. “Are ya blind?! It’s not him. Move before he cuts you down!”

“It is him!” Arms trembling, Momo twists back to Toshiro, who is frozen midway through raising Hyourinmaru. “It’s you, right? Shiro-chan?”

Again, the name has an effect on him. He stumbles back a step, and a flicker of his reiatsu sparks in his being. As he lowers Hyourinmaru, he tilts his head to the ground. Then, in a rough voice, he chokes out, “Hina…mori.”

Momo shakes her head as she struggles to stay standing, her legs suddenly like lead. For a moment the world spins, and she half lowers her arms to keep her balance. Behind her, Shinji doesn’t move, but curses under his breath.

“What the heck is he?” he says. “He ain’t alive, but…is this some kind of Quincy power?”

The question brings Momo back to reality. With deep breaths, she calms the tremors running through her. She risks taking a step towards him, dropping the hand towards Shinji, and extending the one towards Toshiro. “What happened to you?” she asks, barely able to get her voice out. “Why are you like this?”

He raises his head a fraction, enough for her to see the dullness is gone from his gaze. The tiny spark of reiatsu lashes through his being, barely flickering in his widened eyes. Hyourinmaru trembles again in his grip, the blade rising an inch toward her, only to aim to the ground again. He grits his teeth and his brow scrunches upward. There’s a struggle inside him – as if he’s battling to keep his reiatsu there. “Don’t…stop,” he grounds out.

She chances a glance at Higuchi, and then at the other Shingami laying around the courtyard. She feels stupid for not realising sooner. “You’re the one who hurt them.”

He takes her words as an accusation, grunting as he takes a few staggering steps back. “Can’t…Don’t want to hurt…”

Her eyes start to burn as tears threaten to form. “I know you wouldn’t hurt them, not if you could help it. Whatever this is…it’s controlling you, isn’t it?”

He freezes, lifting his head an inch higher. He doesn’t answer, just stares at her.

Her expression falls, bordering on despair. “How can we-?”

Without warning his head jerks up. The dullness returns to his eyes and his reiatsu is smothered to nothingness. He slides Hyourinmau on to his back, his movements robotic and stiff. Before Momo can say anything, he turns and sprints away. She belatedly follows, too surprised by his sudden departure. She ignores the call of her captain to stop, focused only on her friend.

“Wait!” she cries out. “Stop, Hitsugaya-kun! Where are you going?” He keeps getting further and further away with each alleyway he runs down and corner he turns. She loses sight of him when he rounds a corner, and by the time she reaches it, he’s vanished. It’s a dead-end ahead, but looking up, he’s a now a tiny figure jumping rooftop to rooftop in the distance.

“Don’t even think about it!”

With a gasp, Momo spins around to Shinji, who pants for breath and is doubled over. He clutches at the bandages around his waist. She races back to him, a healing kido chant ready in the back of her mind. “Captain! You’ll open your wounds! You shouldn’t have followed-”

“If you hadn’t taken off like that I wouldn’t have had to!” At her wince, he sighs and sheathes Sakanade away. “I get it…but that was reckless. You know that already though.”

“Yes, I do.”

“If you know that, then ya know we can’t go after him.”

She can’t hold back the defiance and worry that grips her. “Captain, if he’s being controlled, then he’ll hurt other officers! We can’t allow him to -”

“Again, I get it! Don’t make me order you. If we went after him the way we are now I’d end up worse than before you healed me, and you…” Shinji casts his gaze Toshiro, now a spec in the distance as he continues to leap through the sky. “He may have been able to hold off hurting you just now, but you saw him struggle not to. Whatever the hell is controlling him is a tough bastard, his own will wasn’t enough to stop it completely.” He leans against a nearby wall. “Give me a moment…and then we’ll keep going, ‘kay?”

It takes everything for her to give a hard nod. She raises a hand and activates a healing kido, casting it over his torso. There’s no bleeding, his wounds are still closed, but this would give him a bit of energy to continue.

“We’ll do like you said,” he continues. “We’ll send a signal for the fourth division to come heal those guys. Patch them up a little bit. Then…then we gotta move on. Omaeda and Soi-fon will be waiting for us.”

Again she nods, not lifting her gaze from her work. She can’t quell the worry, not when images of Toshiro’s current state flash through her mind. What had he become? Who had transformed him into that thing? The idea that someone had done that to him – that they had taken away his free will and forced him to slay his fellow Shinigami – makes her blood boil. If he could be turned back, would he remember anything he did while in that state? She wanted to find whoever did this and --

“Hey, did you hear me?”

She lets out a surprised sound. “What?”

“I said you can stop now.” He kicks away from the wall. “Your reiatsu is fluctuating.”

She deactivates the kido. Seeing the skeptical look of her captain, she lowers her head in guilt. “I’m sorry, sir. I know we can’t go after him right now. I just…”

“There are others out there in better shape than we are right now. If there’s a Quincy controlling him, then hopefully once they kill the Quincy it will stop whatever’s controlling him.” He half turns away from her. “We have to keep going. Do you really think he’d want you to come after him when he can barely control himself right now?”

A part of her screams in objection; regardless of whether he wanted to her to follow him or not, he’s in pain. He’s her closest friend, and seeing him that state almost broke her heart. She had done nothing but hurt him when Aizen manipulated her – from pointing Tobiume at him to begging him to save the traitor’s life – she can’t let him be hurt anymore by anyone.

However, the other part of knows her getting involved would likely end worse for both of them. After the Winter War, it had taken him almost a year to face her. Even to this day, she knew he still hadn’t fully forgiven himself for what he did. If he hurt her again…she doesn’t know who he’d become.

And what if she had to fight him? She almost hurt him once, when she had been deceived into raising her sword against him. Now though, if she confronted him while he was being controlled and he attacked her, she can’t bare the idea of hurting him. If she had more energy, she could cast powerful kido barrier to trap him while she searched for who transformed him, but she’s drained from all the healing spells she performed.

She bites the inside of her lip when it threatens to tremble and raises a fist to her aching heart. It does nothing to sooth the pain beating from there. With everything she has left in her, she nods as she says. “I understand. Let’s get going.”

All she has now is her hope and faith in those still out there strong enough to confront Toshiro, and pray that she can help him when he shakes off whatever controls him.

[recurring-polynya]

Zanpakutou Rebellion Arc Recap, p5

Arright friendos, we are taking a little time out of people fighting their own zanpakutou for some Very Special Episodes about Byakuya Being An Ass. It’s so good. I love it. Buckle in for some Extremely Polynya Shouting.

Before we can get to that, though, Mayuri straight-up murders Gegetsuburi and then does a big WELP shrug while Omaeda stands there. So, uh, that happened.

Back to that weird forest where everyone has been fighting! Momo and Rangiku belatedly show up to the Hitsugaya fight. Ichigo is presumably about to give them the full blow-by-blow, when Muramasa stumbles out of a Garanta, all “hey guys, what’s going on in this thread?” Muramasa makes the bold claim that he and Ichigo have some sort of special bond, and Ichigo busts out this solid gold comeback:

When did Byakuya get here? This is a recap, I do not follow the rules of continuity. Senbonzakura actually shows up first and fights Ichigo, and then Byakuya shows up (he’d been off freeing Tobiume and Haineko thanks a lot buddy). B announces that he has been doing a lot of thinking and he will now be betraying everyone he knows and cares about. Ichigo, as is his way, is very hurt and confused; Muramasa is like “sure, sounds cool to me.” We end scene with a single flower petal floating to the ground and Ichigo screaming “BYAKUYAAAAAAAAAA!” I love this arc.

NEXT EPISODE! Episode 241 is called “For the Sake of Pride! Byakuya vs. Renji” so you know I am all in already. 

We’re back at the 4th Barracks, where Kyouraku and Ukitake are still hiding out to avoid doing anything. Ichigo is reporting on Byakuya’s betrayal, and Renji bless his heart, refuses to accept it. He gets in Ichigo’s face over it (like Ichigo, of all people, would make this up??) and then goes over to dramatically lean on the window frame and stare off into the distance. This is up there with the desk slap in terms of Renji Drama; I was howling.

Meanwhile, in the Cave of Zanpakutou, the zanpakutou are not exactly down with Byakuya ruining their cool frathouse vibe (Byakuya, for his part, looks absolutely disgusted to be in a cave). Senbonzakura, of all of them, declares that Byakuya needs to show his loyalty by… uh… uh… killing Sode no Shirayuki. Sode no Shirayuki makes an absolute “wtf, man” face, but goes with it. I honestly would have found it immensely satisfying if Rukia’s zanpakutou completely owned Byakuya, but unfortunately, that is not what happens here. Byakuya defeats her and she turns into a broken sword and Senbonzakura is like “WTF, MAN?!” The one part of this arc that I can’t actually remember is how they resolve this, because they’ve made a really big deal thus far about how if someone else kills your zanpakutou, it’s gone for good, and Jaysus, Byakuya, what a dick move! Byakuya DNGAF, and utters the absolutely God-tier “You could never comprehend my pride” which I immediately added to my “Byakuya’s Greatest Hits” googledoc (this episode also contains “If it is for the sake of my pride, there is nothing I won't destroy” which I already had in there). Anyway, this is apparently good enough for Muramasa, Byakuya is in, although Senbonzakura, who is definitely Has Regrets, tells Byakuya that he will be watching him (he does not do the little 2 fingers-to-the-eyes, I’ll-be-watching-you hand signal, which would have been the greatest thing ever)

SQUAD SIX TIME. Renji lets Rukia into Byakuya’s office to�� look for his diary, I guess? They have a nice little deluded talk about how Byakuya would definitely not betray Soul Society, he would never. Renji has to go on duty, so he leaves her there with a little “don’t work too hard” because this episode is adorable. We get an absolutely loving pan of the offices, and because this is my blog, I’m going to describe them for you. Like Squad 10, Squad 6 has two couches, but the Squad 6 couches are striped. I feel in my heart that they are deeply uncomfortable, and that Renji has definitely spilled something on one of them and then flipped the cushions upside down. There is an entire huge wall of bookcases, which the wiki once explained as being related to Byakuya being into the history of Soul Society, but I think he would keep that shit at home. No, I think Byakuya keeps full sets of whatever the shinigami equivalent of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Standards are. I don’t know where I got the idea that Byakuya and Renji share an office, because this is definitely only Byakuya’s office, but I refuse to back off on that, because it’s funnier that way, and also Renji needs access to those ISO 9000 Guidelines for Memory Modification in Mortals.

Where the hell were we? Oh yeah, Rukia falls asleep in Byakuya’s uncomfortable-looking little desk chair. She wakes up with a “what is this reiatsu??” and runs out into the hallway where someone has been fucking shit up once again. Rukia steps over all the bodies on the ground because NII-SAMA! NII-SAMA IS HERE! but Byakuya refuses to answer and then Senbonzakura rolls in and dumps the broken pieces of Sode no Shirayuki in Rukia’s lap with a “Hey, did you know your brother is a gigantic dick? Just huge. FYI.”

Rukia hugs a bunch of sharp broken pieces of metal and sobs, which seems… like not the best idea, but who am I to judge? Senbonzakura starts to attack Rukia, who is still on the ground and RENJI IS HERE!! I normally do not like it when the dude characters show up to save Rukia, but Rukia is having a moment and also her sword is busted, and also Renji is hot mad at Byakuya. Are you ready for what happens next? Are you prepared? Because Renji attempts to detain Byakuya as a material witness and my soul left my body. Abarai Renji, Ace Attorney is canon. BLESS. Why did they make this episode for me and me alone?

They start fighting and THEN, my captain busts out with “I know you used Higa Zekkou recently, so you can’t go to shikai” and MY HEART! Y’all know how precious the Byakuya - Renji captain/useless vice-captain relationship is to me and here is evidence that Byakuya, a man who does not notice what is beneath him, knows the name of one of Renji’s attacks and also how many times per day he can use it. MY DINGDANG HEART.

Also, it matters NOT, because Saru and Hebi bust through a wall with accompanying guitar riff (I mean, they were gonna need to get a drywall crew in here anyway, I guess) “WE ARE HERE FOR YOU BRO ALSO WE, TOO, WANT A PIECE OF BYAKUYA”

Zabimaru takes on Senbonzakura while Byakuya fights Renji. Both of these fights are lit. A significant portion of Squad 6 definitely gets blown up. Renji starts shooting kidou at Byakuya. This goon. This absolute madman. At one point, he fakes Byakuya out by pretending to misfire a shakkahou and then he tries to use a fucking binding spell. On Byakuya. OH. MY. GOD.

Anyway, suffice to say, Renji does not win this fight. There is this brilliant framing where Rukia is still inside, trying to get outside to where the fights are, and Renji’s body just goes flying past in the background, FWUMP!!

Everyone’s just having a great time, when the rest of the zanpaktou show up and demand that Byakuya kill Rukia and Renji. Byakuya makes a pained “could we not?” face, but he doesn’t actually say no, and then the zanpakutou decide they’d rather do it themselves anyway. 

And then, because this episode somehow feels like it hasn’t done enough for me yet, Renji, who is a pile of broken bones on the ground, begs Rukia to run away. But no! My girl stands over her busted up bae with her spiritless sword and does the whole “whatever loser, they’ll have to go through me first” thing. MY HEEaaarrRRRRRtttTTTT.

Then Soi Fon and the gang show up, and Ichigo yells, “hey Rukia, are you all right?” and it is, quite literally, that shitpost comic where Renji is lying in a pool of his own blood and Rukia has a tiny scratch and Ichigo is like “Rukia!!!!! NOOOOOO!”

Anyway, tune in next time for BIG FIGHTS.

[darisu-chan]

Kaien vs Ichigo: A Memories in the Rain Analysis, Part 1

Hello

It’s me again, back with my bs lmao

I finally finished the mini arc of Memories in the Rain pt. 2 and, as I’ve been sort of discussing certain stuff that’s happened in Bleach as I re-read the chapters, I decided I needed to talk about MITR as a whole. If you’ve been following my posts, I didn’t really analyze the first part. I saved it to compare it with the second part. I also thought that instead of just saying my thoughts as I have been doing thus far, I’d go the extra mile and truly analyze both parts, specifically comparing Kaien and Ichigo.

So, sometime ago, I wrote this post about how it bothers me how people compare Kaien and Ichigo as being the same, and using that to establish IchiRuki. When, honestly, you don’t need to. Ichigo and Rukia’s relationship stands on its own. In fact, it is so strong that, years after the ending, people keep being fascinated by IR. The LA was centered on their relationship as well. And it’s still the Ichigo and Rukia show, thank you very much.

And though I made some good points in that post, I decided to further explore Kaien and Ichigo, as well as the events of both MITR and how that relates to Ichigo and Rukia.

It’s probably been done many times before, but I’ve never analyzed them in much depth, so here we go.

The first part will soley be about Ichigo and Kaien as individuals. On the second part, I’ll finally explore MITR

1. The Shiba Gene

So, as we all know, Ichigo and Kaien look like each other physically, and in Everything But the Rain we finally found out the reason why: they are cousins. This put a stop to all the “Ichigo is Kaien reborn” theories people liked to come up with back in the day.

Now, in the story, this resemblance was pointed out by Byakuya and even Ukitake, to an extent. Which means Kaien was designed to look like Ichigo on purpose to further draw parallels between them. What I mean to say is that this is a seed that was planted in the readers’ minds, and as such, comparing both guys was done on purpose.

Interestingly enough, neither Kukaku nor Ganju are ever seen to believe Ichigo looks like their older brother.

In EBTR we see Isshin as a young man, and we can see how Isshin, Ichigo and Kaien resemble each other, meaning the Shiba gene is a strong one, and, if Ichigo had actually stayed in SS, that same resemblance could have been used as a way for him to claim that part of his heritage, but I digress.

We are all aware they look like each other because they are family, so we don’t need to go deep into detail in that aspect. Now the true question is, just how similar are they to each other?

Physically speaking, there are a few noticable differences, like hair and eye color. Kaien’s hair is longer and there’s the fact Kaien has very long eyelashes, as Kukaku and Ganju have. He’s also taller.

Although key differences, they are not enough to negate their similarities. Hell, Ichigo does look more similar to Kaien than Ganju, his actual brother.

But there’s something very important that sets them apart: Kaien always carries himself as if he didn’t have a care in the world. When we’ve seen Kaien, he’s always able to smile freely. Sure, he also scowls, gets upset, and the like, but he goes back to smiling. This is something Ichigo hasn’t been able to do since his mother died. Hell, there’s a whole chapter about that (Can’t Smile Don’t Blame). There are very few times in which Ichigo actually smiles, and all of them are short-lived. In fact, whenever he’s tried to give big smiles, they seem off, as seen when he smiled to Orihime back at the beginning of MITR and later on, in the Lost Agent Arc, when he smiled at Yuzu. 

Even when Rukia has a flashback of Kaien while looking at Ichigo, their smiles look very different:

Ichigo more often than not smiles through his eyes, while Kaien tends to smile with his eyes closed:

Although brash and arrogant as well, Kaien is also more mature. He can go from joking around to having deep conversations with Rukia. Ichigo, as a teenager, has yet to mature and will become more and more like a grown up as time passes by. At this point in the manga, he really isn’t there yet. Now, this will be important later on.

In short, even though they look very similar, they carry themselves with different auras. Kaien is more of a free-spirit, while Ichigo is a person who seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

2. Prodigies

Ichigo, as the MC of a shounen manga, is obviously special. From the very first moment, we know he’s not like everyone else. He’s able to see spirits, which is not the norm. And then Rukia informs us his reiatsu is too powerful for a normal human.

And as time goes by, as he keeps fighting hollows, he grows exponentially. 

When Urahara trains him, he realizes that, which is why he tells Yoruichi that if there is someone who can achieve bankai in 3 days, is him.

As the story goes on, we learn that Ichigo is even more special, as he is also part Quincy and Hollow. But he also has very impressive skills when it comes to swordmanship, shunpo, and the like. 

What is more relevant is Ichigo’s ability to grow at a fast rate, always learning from his mistakes. 

And although he was never taught how to be a Shinigami in the traditional way, we can see how he surpassed his peers.

Now, although Kaien is not as special as Ichigo, we learn from Ganju that, for Shinigami standards, Kaien’s very impressive:

Hisagi, for example, failed the final exam numerous times. Rukia says she barely passed the entrace exam. Finishing the curriculum in two years is a great achievement. And the fact that he made VC in 5 years means a lot. It took Renji, let’s say, around 35 years to be promoted to VC. And Renji was in the special class at the Academy.

People like Ichigo and Kaien are not the norm. They are very skilled and special individuals. Might be because of their genes (it’s never explicitly said, but they might come from a long line of Shinigami), or just because they were gifted with those powers, but the point is these characteristics set them apart as more powerful than the rest.

3. Brash, Rule-breaking, Arrogant

The words above can be used to describe both Ichigo and Kaien, and that’s certainly Byakuya’s opinion of them.

Kaien and his siblings are not like the nobles we know. They’re certainly very different to Byakuya and the Kuchiki Clan, but they also live very differently than Soi Fon, Omaeda, the Shihouin Clan, and so on. They seem to live more like the common folk than like dignified people. Hence, Byakuya seems very against this sort of attitude, at least early on in Bleach. 

Because of being loud, less refined, brash, and with a penchant of rule-breaking, Kaien seems totally different to other nobles. However, I dare say these characteristics extrapolate what Ukitake meant in this scene:

Not anyone would be able to go against the whole Soul Society, specially if you are a Shinigami.

Byakuya was certainly not going to do any rule-breaking. As we later find out, he had even promised not to break anymore rules and was going to stick to that promise.

Renji, until confronted by Ichigo, had decided not to go against the SS.

Even Ukitake wasn’t about to start a revolution to save Rukia. It took him seeing Ichigo to decide on what to do.

Basically, only Kaien would have been upfront about his own intentions.

And what we know of Kaien is that he was the sort of guy who would break the rules when necessary. That means, that he would do the right thing. Specially when it comes to saving his peers. He even tells Rukia as much:

He might not have been the most elegant of individuals, but Kaien’s brashness and even arrogance came from the fact he had a good heart.

Now, who does exactly what Kaien would have done?

That’s right.

Ichigo.

Here the comparison of Ukitake trying to imagine what Kaien would have done is directly compared and contrasted to Ichigo, as before that scene Ichigo confronted Byakuya.

Now, Ichigo wasn’t raised as a noble. He had no idea he was one until almost the end of Bleach. But he was raised with the idea of protecting other people and of doing what is right.

We have seen him protect other people, even before he became a Shinigami (his friendship with Chad, Keigo and Mizuiru respectively reflects this, as he saved the three of them). 

Ichigo is not the kind of guy who can just do nothing while an injustice is taking place.

Ichigo has been, from the first moment we saw him, brash, rule-breaking and even arrogant, but note that from his introduction, we saw him protecting a little ghost girl. It goes to show that Ichigo would go to extremes to protect others and do what’s right. So, it’s no surprise he jumps at the chance to go to SS to save Rukia, and that he grows stronger and stronger each time to save her, as he cannot let her die. 

However, there’s a key difference.

If Kaien had been alive, he would have saved Rukia as 1) he would’ve probably figured out an execution was too hard a punishment for Rukia’s crime, 2) he told her he would always stand by her as long as they were from the same division, and 3) he wouldn’t let her just die.

But Ichigo’s reasons to save Rukia are much more complicated than that. As I’ve said in other posts, Ichigo is filled with guilt, as Rukia’s in this position because of him, firstly because she saved him by giving him her own powers to protect his family, and secondly, because Rukia got taken away to protect him as he feels he failed to protect her.

But, even then, it’s not only guilt that fuels him or the fact that he owes Rukia.

There’s the fact that Rukia is an important person to Ichigo regardless. Particularly, she is kind and good. Certainly not the type of person who deserves to die, much less because of a stupid rule.

Then, there is something else at a deeper level Ichigo doesn’t say out loud

My point with this is that Kaien and Ichigo are certainly the same type of rule-breaking people and that’s the sort of person needed to pull a stunt like saving Rukia from execution, in such a way that this person would even inspire others to help. Both guys are special in that way. However, in practice their actions come from different places. Certainly there’s a closeness Ichigo shares with Rukia due to circumstances that adds more complexity to his intent to save her and that, may I add, also fuels him to such a degree he refuses to lose. 

Which brings us to...

4. Rukia

The last main common denominator between them is no one else but Rukia, a person they both have inspired in different ways. However, the type of relationship they have with her is different.

Let’s start with Kaien:

So, their meeting takes place shortly after Rukia was adopted into the Kuchiki Clan and graduated early from the Academy. Ever since, it seems she was judged for both not really being from a noble family and from having been adopted by one. We can say that no one is looking at who Rukia truly is, but they are making assumptions about her at this point. This is isolating to Rukia, who now has to deal with a new identity and a new way of living. She’s now apart from the one person she had known most of her life to that point (Renji) and is feeling out of place.

Then, Kaien swoops in and he treats her like he would treat any other subordinate. He doesn’t treat her like a street rat, a pampered noble or even a pet. And she says it herself that having that normality is exactly what she needed. Rukia didn’t feel comfortable at home with Byakuya, but she could at least feel more at ease in her division, working under Kaien.

Their relationship was that of mentor and mentee. Later on we find out Kaien trained her in swordsmanship and probably other skills. 

But he also taught her important lessons about life:

And these are lessons Rukia will carry in her heart the whole series. Protecting others, making others feel welcomed, forming hearts with others. Rukia made hers everything that Kaien taught her. 

He’s very special in her life because Kaien was the first person to make her feel as if she belonged in her division, and even as a Shinigami.

In short, he’s acting like a parental influential, or even being the brother Byakuya failed to be at this point in time. Teaching Rukia and accepting her, so that she could feel she had a place she belonged to.

And we know that Kaien was the one to make her feel good

But here we have a power imbalance. Because Kaien is doing the teaching, he’s changing her life, but we don’t know if it’s mutual. We don’t know if Kaien was affected by Rukia’s actions and words. It’s a very unilateral situation.

Furthermore, if we go with the route of Rukia had a crush on Kaien, there’s more power imbalance and impossibilities, as we know that:

She already couldn’t be the person closest to Kaien, as Miyako existed. 

Rukia recognized Miyako as having great qualities, probably what Kaien even liked about her, and aspired to be like her:

So, Kaien and Rukia were never in a position of equality for several reasons, starting from the fact Kaien was her vice captain.

This is even exemplified when the find the hollow that killed Miyako:

Rukia acts like a subordinate, trying to be helpful, and is denied:

Finally, there’s a key aspect that I will be analyzing with more detail in another post, but Kaien is for Rukia what Masaki is for Ichigo:

The root of her trauma is that she failed to protect Kaien, who was the person who taught her so much and helped her when nobody else did. Rukia feels as if she didn’t do anything to save him from his fate:

And when Kaien became a hollow, instead of running or trying to help him, Rukia let instinct take in and we know what happens next:

And the fact she couldn’t save him is worse becase Kaien doesn’t blame her:

So Rukia ends up in a state of guilt, because she couldn’t save the one person she probably wanted to save the most.

This trauma will continue on for some time until HM, where Rukia comes to terms with what happened. However, that doesn’t change the fact that her relationship remains a one-way street.

Now, as for with Ichigo, they have a different relationship altogether. 

It is true that Rukia was Ichigo’s first teacher when it comes to Shinigami stuff, but it is not as if he never taught Rukia anything.

Their relationship is so special because they’re two sides of the same coin. The fact that one is a Shinigami and the other is a human being makes it so that they end in a relationship of equals. As Ichigo needs to learn how to be a Shinigami, Rukia has to learn how to be a human.

Even when they just tell each other their names, the panel demonstrates this equality

Even the way they’re both holding the sword symbolizes this equality:

They’re both holding it and directing it towards Ichigo due to a common goal.

The fact they also call each other by their first names is important. Rukia always used “-dono” to refer to Kaien, a term of respect, while he called her by her last name. Meanwhile, Ichigo and Rukia call each other by their first names, symbolizing they’re close, something that is even pointed out within the story.

They also grow together.

Not only does Rukia teach Ichigo about his powers and her philosophy of saving others, Ichigo keeps surprising her at every turn:

Ichigo teaches Rukia how to be human, and not in the way of how to appear human or do human things, but how to feel, how to make connections with others

We always say Rukia changed Ichigo’s world, but he had that same effect in her:

It was always a mutual thing.

A relationship so different to any other in this manga.

But the best example of how different Kaien and Ichigo’s relationships with Rukia are is the fact that Rukia doesn’t think Ichigo is like Kaien from the get go.

She’s reminded of Kaien twice:

1. When Ichigo’s fighting Grandfisher, and I’ll analyze that part in the next post.

2. When Ichigo finally appears in front of her in SS and reassures her he’s not going to die. He smiles at her and Rukia remembers Kaien’s smile. She closes her eyes due to all the emotions she’s feeling.

My best explanation as to why Rukia thinks of Kaien in that moment is, as I said before, because Kaien was also reassuring in the fact he was not gonna die, yet he did and by her hand. Rukia doesn’t want to cause Ichigo’s death and she already feels guilty about turning him into a Shinigami, Byakuya hurting him, and everything else he’s gone through to try to save her. Rukia doesn’t want Ichigo to be like Kaien and die for her sake, as she believes she’s not worthy of being saved:

This is yet another thing Ichigo and Rukia have in common, they both feel guilty for having in some way cause harm to the other. 

Because, above all else, they both want to protect the other.

The thing is, the two actually achieve it: Rukia saves Ichigo’s life in the first chapter and when Byakuya is about to kill him. While Ichigo ends up saving her from execution, making it so their relationship stays equal.

That is the beauty of IchiRuki.

It’s never unilateral, but their feelings parallel each other’s constantly.

They want to save each other and they do.

They learn from one another, and they have faith in one another.

One doesn’t take while the other receive, they both give and receive something in return.

Because, in their eyes, they are equals.

Anyway,

This is the end of this very long post.

The rest of MITR will be analyzed in a later post.

Thanks for reading!

[rhapsodosu]

Psychotherapy, Chapter 3

[x] Chapter 3 has been re-written!

This is also in FF and AO3.

Summary: “After a long day of hearing my patients’ issues, I wake up and find a half-naked woman on my bed, staring at me like she had known me forever. Who is she? I don’t know. All I know is she changed my life in many ways.”

Chapter 3: Ichigo starts admitting his feelings to himself.

Pairing: Ichiruki, T/M, AU || Previous chapter HERE

A/N: So I have rewritten the third chapter now, again, I changed some plot elements to make it more fitting and added some major items to lead into the build-ups. Again, this is a slice-of-life kind of fic, but there’s more to Rukia’s mystery. 😊

I do not own Bleach.

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I don’t care if it seems wrong.

I don’t care if it looks rushed.

I don’t care if it’s crazy.

What I care about… is her.

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She’s mysterious and all. Compare her to an abstract painting, if you will. At first you cannot make out the details, but you would see yourself appreciating it more as you discover more things about it. And then you would be craving for more and more, looking closer and closer to see the finest lines, the smallest of strokes.

Don’t get me wrong though—not all things I find out about her is exactly ideal. Nobody is perfect after all.

But still, it’s Rukia… And Rukia's… Rukia.

Do you even get what I mean?

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Session 3: Guarded

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Rukia was the first thing that I saw on the corridor leading to my clinic.

It was all effortless: her dark tresses heavily contrasted with the white backdrop of the wall she was leaning against, and it made the milky skin on her neck stand out even more. I always thought that my type was different, you know those tall, curvy types that made men swoon. But this woman… she demanded attention without knowing it. From her stance down to the smallest movements of her lips while sucking on the end of a consumed ice pop, and with just that she stirred my rather healthy imagination.

I cleared my throat to drive away my thoughts and she lifted her gaze from her feet to my face in response.

“Oi, doctor. Took you long enough.”

“Those are for my kid patients, y'know. Can’t eat it as you wish.”

“Come on, Ichigo. Just this once.” She pulled out the lollipop stick from her mouth and wagged it before chucking it into the trash box at her side. Rukia’s eyes went brighter as she ran a look from my head to toe as if in appraisal, and then reached out to me to tug on my sleeve.

“I can’t believe you’re this old and you don’t know how to do this shit.” I realized she was fixing the folds of my dress shirt and did it more neatly than earlier.

“Amazing, smidge. Don’t you know this is very domestic? Aren’t you very domestic to me?” It was meant to be a tease. The smaller figure chuckled in response, mumbling something like dummy something something moron under her breath, and then took a step back with a finger on her chin.

“Hey, you look good on this. Pink button-down, denims, a fluffy pair of blue slippers and scowl that looks very well on your chiseled face…”

Then she took an effort of straining her legs to tiptoe—just to mock-punch me on the cheek.

“You’re a doctor everyone has the hots for. Except maybe me.”

Ah, this woman.

Rukia should consider herself lucky for ending up in my place, I decided. I wasn’t just getting possessive. If she behaves like this in front of another person with low self-restraint, then she’d surely be in trouble. No amount of judo would protect her from wild, rabid animals out there.

And I thank all of that is holy for not making that happen.

“Shut up. I don’t have the hots for you either.” I cringed away in faux disgust, although I might have been lying. She started laughing heartily—one of the few times that she lets her guard down completely—and it made her more fascinating.

But that’s just sometimes. And by that I mean just a fraction of a second.

Whenever I noticed it, she immediately snaps back to her unpredictable, unfathomable state. She does it in perfect timing. Every. Single. Time.

She stopped laughing when I darted a glare towards her direction, both her hands which were covering her mouth fell limply to her side and there was a ghost of an expression in her face that I couldn’t identify.

“Really? You don’t?”

I dragged my eyes off her and focused on something else. “Yeah, I don’t. So shut up. Why do you care?”

I went for the Claude Monet painting on the wall opposite her… but… I could tell she wasn’t ready to let it go. Ignoring her, by the way, felt like an itch. Try as you may to not pay attention to her but the itch would just get worse.

From my peripheral, I saw her quietly walk towards me, only to stop a foot away. Without looking I knew her stare was trying to pierce me, like she was digging deep into my thoughts, and then spoke her prophetic statement.

“It’s alright. People aren’t born ready.”

I fought so hard to not tell her anything. Yet. Things were getting physical, and I was trying to not give anything away to not appear indecent. It wasn’t all sexual. I wasn’t trying to get into her pants as soon as I can. I was genuinely interested in Rukia, but I didn’t want her to get the wrong idea.

I didn’t even know why we were getting to that point or why my opinion mattered. I was under the impression that all the touching, the kissing, didn’t matter to her. That it was just casual like everybody does these days.

Before I could give a coherent answer, the doorbell rang—my first patient of the day.

By the time I brought back my attention to her, Rukia had already retreated elsewhere.

.

.

.

After my three-hour session with Hanatarou, I discovered that my other patients were already at the waiting lounge.

There were eight of them, six were my regulars: Omaeda, Hisagi, Kira, Inoue, old man Sasakibe and his nurse Isane… The other two had just placed their appointments the day before, a child with a tacky name called Wonderweiss and an enormous dude who introduced himself later on as Yammy.

What surprised me is that another certain someone was wearing the bright pink apron that my sister left ages ago, someone who busied herself with offering candies and other whatnots to the patients.

And you guessed it right.

My new, unpaid, mysterious receptionist was Rukia.

I found myself with a smile as I silently watched her, thanking her inside my mind for the effort that she was giving. She looked sincere as she grinned on my patients, especially on Inoue. However, my grin turned into grimace as I noticed the males (except Sasakibe, since he’s sort of forgetful already) were looking at her with slightly pink faces and mouths formed into ‘O’s. Omaeda was actually holding his hand out like he was waiting for a an opportunity to squeeze something.

Damned perverts.

“Ehrm,. Omaeda-san, are you there already?” I called out to him immediately, not wanting him to get the chance to get his hands into anything.

When he came forward, he still had his eyes on Rukia—he even grabbed a cookie from her plate. How I wished he would trip and bash his head on the floor already.

“Oh, come here you big oaf.” I said irritably without thinking. He stopped and looked at me inquisitively.

“What did you just say, doctor?”

“I said that’s a big oat cookie, Omaeda-san.” I grunted, then I stepped out and shoved him inside the room. “Now, now, let’s start.”

Before I went in I saw that Rukia was talking to Inoue and quite oblivious to all the ogling earlier. Fortunately, Kira and Hisagi were still looking at me, and I gave the best glare that I could muster. Well, if there’s something that every person needs to learn, the ought to not mess with their shrink or any person related to their health care. Or it will get pretty ugly real quick.

.

.

The day went on more easily and more peacefully, with Rukia’s aid. At lunch time, she knocked and halted my torturing—counseling—of Omaeda for a while just to bring in my lunch. When it’s Hisagi’s turn, she went in to bring tea and milk; in Kira’s she brought re-heated cookies.

Actually, even though her services meant that my refrigerator and cupboard are losing their contents more frequently, I am somewhat smug. Especially when Isane asked something when I was giving prescriptions to old man Sasakibe.

“Ano… Kurosaki-san, who’s the girl?”

“Oh.” A question like that was expected—I mean, it’s the first time they saw someone else in the clinic. “That’s Rukia. My… ah…receptionist.”

“Hmmm, okay…”

My head bobbed automatically towards her seat, noticing her tone. “What is it, Isane-san?”

She smiled timidly. “I thought she is your girlfriend or something. You look good together despite some notable differences.”

“Oh no. You got it wrong.” I forced myself to sound hoarse. Her words actually made it hard for me to prevent the twitching on the corners of my mouth all day, because my lips wanted to disobey me again and smile eternally.

But of course I couldn’t. Because I look good with a scowl on, according to a certain someone.

When it was Inoue’s turn, I was about to talk to Rukia and tell her to rest already. However, I looked around and she was gone. Yammy and Wonderweiss weren’t around either. There was a bit of anxiety in me, although I was convincing myself that Rukia could take care of herself.

“Ano… Kurosaki-kun…” I was snapped out of my thoughts when Inoue greeted me. As much as I want to look around for Rukia, I had a patient waiting, and my profession was almost always the first thing on my list. Almost.

“Ah, Inoue. Let’s go.” I motioned for her to come in the room, while my eyes travelled around for the last time, hoping that Rukia was just lurking out of my line of sight. But she wasn’t, and I sighed.

Where could she have gone this time?

.

.

.

At last, I bid goodbye to Inoue. It was 7PM already, the clock and my stomach both said in alarm.

First things first though. I dashed upstairs to search for Rukia. The apron unceremoniously chucked on a chair on the second floor, the plate of cookies was on the table. Painstakingly, I slowed down my pace when I was on the stairs to the third floor. My heart was thumping a bit faster than normal and my hand was sweaty against the doorknob of my room.

Two questions were always there when she disappears. A) What do I do when she’s not there? B) What do I do when she is there.

It was the second question that came to fruition. I couldn’t help but felt relieved when I saw Rukia sitting on my bed, in front of the television, wearing a new set of clothes and… her hair wet and framing her face. She seemed to notice my arrival even before she saw me. She smirked and waved a hand towards my direction.

“What’s up, doctor?”

“What’s up your face.” I sighed, before leaning on the jamb. “Hey, er… thanks. I really appreciate your help earlier.”

Eyes till glued to the TV, she shook her head. Rukia’s attention seems to be drawn to the commercial with lots of bunnies on it. “It’s nothing. You’re letting me stay here for free.”

“Oh yeah.” I said, wondering about her lack of response. She was less hostile and there was less enthusiasm in her voice. PMS maybe? Was she sick?

“Oi, Rukia. Is there a problem?”

“Nope.”

“Then why are you like that?”

She rolled her eyes and finally looked at me. “What? Lacking response? No, not really. I was just thinking. Thanks for interrupting my train of thoughts.”

I pressed on, now my arms over my chest. “About what? Murdering me?”

“ Would I get your properties if I kill you?”

“Wh-! You were really thinking of killing me?”

Her laugh tinkled against the ambient sounds. “Hey, Inoue’s pretty.” She stared at me like she was expecting an answer but rolled her eyes again as I kept my silence. Rukia held out her arms in my direction, her finger pointing at me like I was guilty of something.

“I was pointing out, Kurosaki, that your patient has the hots for you but you are so dense to notice.”

There she goes again about finding me a girlfriend. Clearly, I am not the one who is missing the point. “Shut up, bird-brain. Do you even realize what you’re getting at?”

“Yeah. It’s a brilliant suggestion. Why not date her? She’s pretty and curvaceous, very heartwarming too. I wanna hug her to be honest.”

“Dammit,” I was guessing that my frown was deepening further after my grunt. “She’s fine, but that's…”

How do you phrase it? It wasn’t illegal per se, but a little bit low on morals.

Just to be clear, not all patients of mine were horribly crazy (like, suffering from dementia, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorders), but the thing is, most of them are… different.

Some would have severe anxieties, denial, or extreme phobias. Yeah, I remember one patient that had vestiphobia. It is an irrational fear of wearing clothes. Then try to imagine going out with that person—or any person whose weaknesses are all laid out in front of you. You were supposed to help them, not to take advantage of them.

The point is, the whole thing was…

“Monstrously repulsive.” I finally came up with a term to perfectly describe the situation.

Her grin widened unashamedly. “So you don’t like dating patients?”

“You don’t seem…disappointed.” I narrowed my eyes, then sent her another glare as I was reminded of another important thing. “And please, don’t try to make relationships for me. It’s annoying.”

“Ah. So you’re stuck with me?”

“Yeah—” I paused when I choked mildly. “I mean no!”

“So you want other women—”

“No!”

“—so just me—”

“No!”

“—so you want me and other—”

“Hell no! I’m just…! Happy as it is!”

I slapped my hand in my forehead whilst slightly panting, non-existent ringing making a buzz in my ears from the sudden shouting. When I recovered from my outburst, Rukia was already in front of me with her lips pressed together.

“I was just messing around.” A finger prodded me on the chest, her amethyst eyes wide and somewhat glittery. I realized she as giving me the shoujo eyes. “Idiot… Your patience needs a professional intervention.”

My shoulders fell further. She was right—although she’s the only one that could rile me up this much. “You keep on annoying me, it’s unbelievable.”

“Hah. Speak for yourself, Ichigo.”

I liked how she breathes my name out, how she plays with it in her tongue.

I very much would like to kiss her right then and there, unfortunately my stomach heaved an enormous growl that broke whatever tension was forming between us. Much to my chagrin, I was subjected once more to endless teasing by the woman.

.

.

.

There was total darkness when I opened my eyes. I reached out but touched nothing. The silence was deafening me and it felt very suffocating. Terrifying. It was then that I saw her.

“Icchi-kun…” The child emerged from the blackness, her eyes were almost glowing as she stared. Tears were pooling in them as she approached, her hand held out as if she was expecting me to pull her in.

“Wh-Who the hell are you?” I shouted back but I found myself moving in. The details were slowly getting clearer; the dress she wore had streaks on it—even on her skin. I figured that it was blood.

The contrast was eerie and haunting, but I was getting the feeling that I knew who she was. 

A forgotten memory… a lost friend…?

The child stopped walking when she was a foot away. Her tiny hands, wet from the blood, touched my face and cradled it as if I was more fragile. “Help me…Please.”

“How…?” My heart was aching and I couldn’t breathe; I realized I was sobbing. My entire body was shaking while she watched, and everything shifted around me until finally the light broke through.

I was on a garden now. There were sunflowers everywhere, children running on the background. It was a scene that was mildly familiar, although I cannot pinpoint yet where I’ve seen it. Maybe a movie, or a novel that I’ve read somewhere.

The child still was holding me in what little grasp she had. At first I thought she had gotten taller—but no—it was me who turned shorter. I looked down and realized I was wearing the same clothes when that thing happened. I was back in my lost years, in my teens.

“What’s your name?” The child shook her head at my question. “How old are you?”

“You… don’t remember, Icchi-kun?” Her voice hit me with immeasurable loneliness and guilt. She knew me, yet I didn’t have a clue to who she was. The child started tearing up again, repeating the same words like a mantra.

“Help me… Help me.”

The space around us warped again; it was as if time was being rewound and we were being swallowed again by the wicked shadows. I tried to hug the child but hands appeared and dragged her away. She was shouting, thrashing, and I was screaming in frustration before I could get to her. I suddenly recalled her name.

“No! Come back! I remember!” But she was gone, I could only hear her pained wailing. When there was nothing left but me in the void, a cold hand gripped my shoulder and pulled me back.

“N-no! What about her! The child!” There was no sense in fighting it back. I was clearly heartbroken.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help… Yukio! YUKIO!”

.

.

.

A stinging in my cheek prompted me to break free of the gloom—a couple of blinks and then I was back in my room. Rukia was hovering atop me, my body between her legs, her hand raised in a pre-emptive strike.

I was dreaming. Which was a surprise, everything felt raw and realistic.

“Do you need another slap?” She screeched in anger. Her eyes said otherwise. “Are you okay?!”

Was I okay? It was a weird dream and I still couldn’t breathe properly. However, with the concern that she was giving me, everything strangely felt better. All I needed was a look at her face. I was shamelessly starting to depend on Rukia like she was some sort of therapy of my own kind.

“I guess…”

“Who’s Yukio? You kept on shouting that name in the middle of the night! I thought you were dying!”

“I don’t know.”

Yukio… That was the child’s name, but I still couldn’t recall where I met her. To be honest, I couldn’t remember much back then, back when mom had the accident. I learned later on that it was selective amnesia-my brain tried to cope up with grief and it blocked out important details that were related to a traumatic experience. Perhaps she was of importance. Perhaps I needed to look for her. Perhaps not.

“…It was kind of a nightmare.” Words aren’t enough to describe the strange pain that was eating me up. “Yukio might be a part of mom’s memories… which I forgot…”

“…Don’t talk, dumbass.” I thought she was going to slap me again but her stance relaxed and instead she left her palm to rest on my cheek. It was warmer than usual. And with her being this close, I could indulge myself with her sweet scent that was filling my lungs.

“You don’t need to tell me everything.” Her face drew nearer with her brows gathered at the center. “As long as you’re alright.”

I nodded and ran a hand to her shoulder down to her touch, giving it a light press. 

“Yeah. I am.”

The next thing I was aware of was that our kisses were greedy against each other.

I pulled her hastily, and she crashed into me. Everything was in a blur. My hands roamed everywhere that they wanted to and she breathed sharply against my kiss with every touch. The softness on her skin was enough to drive me insane—on her thighs, on her back, on her neck. Her small moans played music in my ears. Her lean figure felt breaking with the urgency, but the way her nails dug into my skin as we kissed told me otherwise.

Rukia, rukia, rukia… I was calling her name in my mind, repeating it as if I was afraid that I would forget her like I did with Yukio. 

“Ichigo…” She finally breathed out when I pinned her down, nibbling at her neck. Rukia called me back to reality; and when I did, I saw the state of mess and undress that we were in. 

It made me  ponder whether to take the chance, but going by her expression, we both knew we were playing with fire. Defeating my own desires, I helped her shift beside me on the bed while never breaking the connection with our stares.

She spoke first after some minutes of silence, and perhaps deep contemplation of what we were doing with ourselves.

“I might have to consider sleeping in your closet now.” It seemed like she was seriously considering it, which I found funny. 

“You’re a dummy.” I sent a poke to her forehead and for a moment I thought I saw the same look that I saw in Yukio’s face. A heavily masked solitude, a soul searching for some much-needed help. It was only a dream, but I couldn’t afford for it to happen in real life.

“Hey, just stay with me, midget. Here." 

I patted the bed cockily for emphasis. Rukia didn’t say anything, but she moved closer to snuggle against my chest.

That kind of answer was enough, I decided.

.

.

.

.

End.

==00==00==00==00==00==00==00==00==00==

[burimyuthegermanrevival]

Free time activities

Director: Time for some  … funnier rehearsals Soi-Fon: This is strange, what is he up to? Kurosaki: Why are we outdoor? Are some shows … Director: Nonsense. We are… Aizen: Obviously looking for Hitsugaya-Taichou… Director: Aizen, you stay with me … Aizen: But I haven't done anything … Director: Just stay, I need to keep an eye on you. So, whoever finds him first … Kurotsuchi: .. gets to experiment on him? Hinamori: .. hugs him? Matsumoto: … kicks his ass, because I had to do his work! Hisagi + Izuru: Hai! Kurosaki: .. gets a new song? Ichimaru: Why do you want a new song? Kurosaki: Nobody likes my old songs … Kuchiki Byakuya: Yes, they are that bad that you are allowed to change clothes, an entirely new costume … Zaraki: You sure know how to cheer people up, nee? Kurosaki: No, the audience is not enjoying them. They are not like ‘Honasai nara, honasai nara ashita wa kitto hareruya’ * dances to his singing * and then they go crazy like * in a very high voice * Yeah, Ichimaru A crowd of girls: * screaming and running up to them * Kurosaki: See, that never happens to me and my songs … Director: Kurosaki, you stay, too! Now, go and find him! Soi-Fon: The stealth squad will find him in seconds! Kurosaki: That is not fair. By the way, I am good at finding people … Kuchiki Rukia: Ichigo is right. He is good at such stuff … Kurosaki: What do you mean by ‘such stuff’ … Director: Nah, I will need him here. With Aizen. * shouting * Oi, Zaraki, no fighting! Just look for the kid! * to himself * I don’t understand how you guys could be that cruel to promote a child to be a Taichou… Kurosaki: Excellent point… Ukitake: Yamamoto wasn’t listening … Director: Why are you still here? Ukitake: Unohana said, I must not participate in the search for Hitsugaya-Kun

~somewhere else~ Omeada: * eating potato chips * we will find before anyone else. Nobody can beat the stealth squad! Abarai: * to Ikkaku * Oh, look! Omaeda-Fukutaichou! Let's search somewhere else. The stealth squad must be close and looking for Hitsugaya-Taichou. Ikkaku: I wonder what happened to the Taichou …

~ on a river ~ Hinamori: * sitting in the grass, all by herself * Unohana: Hinamori-Fukutaichou, is everything all right? Hinamori: Yes, I am fine. I was just a bit exhausted… Unohana: That is a good idea. Mind if we join * nodding to Isane and Hanatarou * Hinamori: * shaking her head * No, that´s fine by me. Zaraki: * runs past them, screaming * Come out! Come out! Hitsugayas Kidnapper! I will find you and then I will fight you! Where are you? * laughing like a maniac * Hinamori: * panicking * What Shiro-Chan has been kidnapped? Unohana: No, I am sure Hitsugaya-Taichou is fine. But I have to go now. There is something I want to say to Zaraki-Taichou! * stands up and flash-steps away *

~somewhere else~ Matsumoto: And keep your eye wide open! We need to find him! Hisagi + Izuru: Hai! Matsumoto: Oh, Hello Rukia … and Yachiru? What are you two doing here? Rukia: I lost Renji! Yachiru: I fell off Ken-Chans back, when Unohana-Taichou appeared! Matsumoto: * scared * Okay .. * happy again * Will you guys join our little search party? Yachiru: YEAH, search party! Hisagi: Oi, Kira! Does Ichimaru-Taichou have a dog? Izuru: I don’t know. Why are you asking? Hisagi: * points into the forest * over there … Ichimaru: * kneeling in the grass * Here, Shiro-Chan. Shiro-Chan. Where are ya ma lil Shiro-Chan? Come over her`, lil Shiro-Chan! Shiro-Chan, I´ll find ya no matter what. Rukia: His dog must be scared of him! Matsumoto: Poor Gin, let's help him! Rukia: But .. what about Hitsugaya-Taichou? Matsumoto: * already running to Ichimaru * Someone else will find him!

~at Ichimarus~ Hitsugaya: * confused, walking up to Ichimaru * What the heck is going on here? Everybody is … I don’t know … stressed Ichimaru: Ah, Shiro-Chan! We all hav been lookin fo ya! Hitsugaya: * annoyed * Don't call me that! * casual * And why is that so? Ichimaru: We wer` missin` ya at the rehearsals! Hitsugaya: I have told Matsumoto that I won't be there for the next time because granny fell ill. I even left her a note! I even informed Yamamoto... Matsumoto: * overly happy, about to hug him * TAICHOUUU Hitsugaya:  * screaming angrily * MATSUMOTO!

[aeondeug]

This is more informal rambling which needs to be gathered together better but it has been made so fuck it: I have been thinking about the fact that Soifon states early on when she's introduced about like. How her main focus in life is duty and how that trumps absolutely everything. Including things like Omaeda's life. Though this is interesting when compared to the other things she mentions more frequently than that. Like duty is obviously very important to her and she does likely believe that to be her main focus in life. But there are three other things that really stand out with her in terms of shit she is focused on that she mentions frequently. The one that she mentions the most I think is "survival". Every single time Soifon has appeared "survival" as a concept has come up. She stresses that she is the only one of her siblings to have survived the Onmitsukido examination process during her flashback. In the Arrancar arc she mentions that saving the world is actually just a pretty sounding pretense, and that what she and everyone else here is fighting for is survival. Her own survival she mentions first. Though she then extends that to "comrades, you, and everyone else". Survival also comes up in her big thing for what the philosophy of Second Division is. Namely the "If your comrade is being attacked, take that as an opportunity. If you cannot even stab the enemy in the back, then just let your comrade die," thing. Which always seems very cold and it is. Since it is weighing the success of a mission above the lives of comrades, seemingly. Though the wording of the statement is important, I think. Specifically the "then let them die" bit. It's not treated as "Let your comrade die and complete the mission instead," but instead as "The mission is important and there is a way to ensure that it is completed and that your comrade survives. Make use of every tool you are given and ruthlessly so." The weirdnesses in this I think is tied to like her second big thing. The second big thing being excellence and skill. This comes up literally every fucking time she shows up. She cares a lot about being skilled and seems to value that above people living. Like during her flashback she mentions that while the deaths of her siblings made her "a little sad" that she mostly felt "ashamed at their incompetence." She took her studying and training very seriously as a kid even before meeting Yoruichi the person. As it is noted by her that like her big example for what she wanted to be during school was based off Yoruichi. She was striving, very specifically, for that level of excellence. It's also notable to me that one of the big Happy Memories for her we see is specifically of Yoruichi setting her aside, praising her for her ability, and adding her to her personal guard. And we see it again in her fight with Yoruichi. She specifically goes on and on about how Yoruichi has surely gotten lazy and fallen out of practice. She brags about how she's brought together the Onmitsukido and Second Division in a way Yoruichi did not. As well as about how her shikai has been perfected and how she has found this super cool new technique that she doesn't even have a name for yet. There is a lot of focus placed upon Soifon getting better and Yoruichi being lazy and incompetent. This is also what a good chunk of her losing is focused about. What gets to her isn't just that she doesn't get why Yoruichi left and is still upset by that. She's also just really not ok with the repeated shows that she hasn't actually progressed as much as she thought she did. She asks Yoruichi how she is able to "keep dominating her as she did before" and when she's having her little temper tantrum breakdown the first thing she mentions is "I'm supposed to be better than you". Like before the trust and abandonment issues that is the first thing to come up. So much of her bitching at Omaeda is specifically related to his being incompetent in some fashion. And she's upset with things like her bankai and having to be saved because they're not reaching her standards or excellence. The third thing she seems to actually value very highly is obviously Yoruichi. Since she describes her feelings about her prior to them even speaking being not just admiration but, specifically, worship. And she compares her to a god. All of her life after Yoruichi leaves is entirely focused on becoming better than Yoruichi based off an idealized image of Yoruichi that is a century old at this point. And once she loses to Yoruichi, she goes right back to idolizing and following Yoruichi without question. Like it is notable that Ichigo, who is key to the defeat of Aizen and was important enough to get Commander General Yamamoto of all people to be less of a bitch, is still considered worthless to her unless Yoruichi is around and approving of his existence. Because she is most definitely someone in the know of how Ichigo is of value to Soul Society. She is part of those meetings at captain level. Even then whatever horseshit Yamamoto has to say or whatever anyone else thinks it means very, very little. What actually matters is "Is Ichigo useful to Yoruichi and is Yoruichi around to confirm he is useful?" She also at no point ever seems to be upset about like the idea that she might have had to leave her family and the letter of her duty behind. The actual upset is specifically Yoruichi leaving and not even telling her why. Oh. Right. The survival thing. It is notable that the Espada she fights is Barrigan who has his big thing about how fear of death is absolute and how death by aging is absolute. And that does get to Soifon quite a bit. Enough to get her panicking and telling Omaeda to run away. And in the end it's revealed that Barrigan is the one who is most terrified of death by growing old. But like it is very standout to me that like the one she ends up fighting is the one who is most focused around the fear of death. They're all death centered, but like he is the one who monologues about how all life is scared of dying. And this all tied up together suggests like two things to me. The first being that Soifon's idea of duty and where it lies is not actually focused on like her position in her family, the Gotei 13, etc. She will say that it is, but where duty actually lies for her is Yoruichi above all else. Had Yoruichi told her she was leaving she might bitch because she hates Urahara for being "lazy" (again, she is confirmed with worthiness and competency and he reads as the opposite of both to her) but like she'd probably go along with it if Yoruichi told her to. The other is that Soifon is like deeply fucking terrified of death. She won't say that. She never actually says it from what I can tell. But she does seem to have a greater deal of fear of death than like a good chunk of the cast. Which makes sense given how expendable people in her family are. The other more fancy noble houses don't really seem to have like nearly as many kids as the Feng family does. She has like the most amount of siblings in a noble house that we see and five of them die and that is just kind of treated as a given. Since they're being forced to pass an exam process that is noted as being particularly ruthless at exceptionally young ages. With failure to do so at the appropriate age being met with being tossed out of the family entirely. A final thing about Barrigan is that his specific form of death is one that competence can’t beat. No amount of skill will protect you from aging and dying. You grow old and then you fucking die. Which does seem to throw Soifon off until she stops and realizes that his bullshit can be counteracted via skill and cold hard not giving a fuck. Cut my arm off, Omaeda. DO IT. AND I WILL SHOOT THIS BITCH.

[inazxma]

Psst

Send “Psst” for 10 Things My Muse has said About Yours Behind Their Back

“I don’t know how she can stand being down there all the time.”

“She helped me clean out Omaeda’s desk while he was gone, but I stole all his snacks.”

“I couldn’t tell you the last time she looked like she got a decent night’s sleep.” 

“I’ve only been to the World of the Living with her once. I really liked her clothes…I should ask where she got them…”

“I’m not allowed to borrow her books anymore because I take too long to read them and last time one of them fell in a river.”

“Sometimes she sounds so much like Taichou it’s hard not to laugh.”

“She’s always great to have with me on a mission, though she’s not always as much for conversation. Then again, neither is Bi-Han…”

“I think she should try an undercut. She could pull it off.” 

“Next time I get her to go drinking with me I’m going to see if I can convince her to arm wrestle.” 

“Our birthdays are pretty close. Too bad Taichou won’t let us celebrate anything.”

[missstormcaller]

WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU Part 12 full translation

Marriage Registration

4

pages 129-137

6th Division Barracks - Lieutenant's room.

After they finished submitting their documents to the Higher Order Spirit Rank Administration Bureau earlier than expected, they had quite some time left until the Noble Assembly reception counter was opened which they had to visit next, Renji who was accompanied by Rukia, came to pack things up at his private quarters.

"You haven't tidied up at all!?"

As soon as she opened the (fusuma) sliding screen, Rukia was dumbfounded​ by the disastrous scene before her.

Surrounding the futon that was laid out at the centre of the room, clothes, books, a soccer ball to muscle training goods, every possible item was scattered about in utter chaos.

"It’s because I was occupied one way or another It couldn't be helped you know!? There's a box over there, so you can gradually pack everything in however you want"

"It's okay to do it however we want? But shouldn't we consider sorting it out……"

"Nah, right now speed is essential! We'll sort everything out at our new home!"

Whilst wondering whether or not that would be the reality, Rukia began packing things up off of the floor and into the box.

Officially seated members who are 9th seat or above, are given private rooms within the squad barracks. Most people go to sleep and wake up there, however people wishing to live outside the squad barracks are given a class of housing appropriate to their station. No more than one room of a housing complex is rented out to those up to 3rd seat, but when it comes to captains and vice captains, they are provided with detached housing large enough to be called 'mansions'.

Until now, Renji was living at the squad barracks, Rukia at the Kuchiki mansion, after the establishment of their marriage they will both utilise that system and move into a mansion together built in the central first sector.

"This looks okay! I'll tidy up bit by bit later myself. Thanks, Rukia!"

"This is……enough? ……alright"

To Rukia, the place still seemed like it was cluttered, but she convinced herself it's good enough if the person himself says it's okay.

"There's still a little time. Drink some tea or……"

Breaking Renji off mid-sentence, "Renji san!", the third seat of the 6th division, Yuki Rickichi came running down the hallway whilst waving his hands.

"That's good! Made it in time!"

"What is it Rickichi? What do you want with me?"

"Well both of you rather than just Renji san. And not me but my younger brother"

"Me also?"

"Younger brother?"

"Younger brother, I'll call him", the pair turned their heads as he left them on that spot, Rickichi continued to run through the hallway. Not even a minute had passed and Rickichi had returned accompanied by the 13th division's Yuki Ryūnosuke.

"You…… you're Yuki Ryūnosuke!? Aren't you stationed on duty!?"

"Heh! I apologise! Shino san should be undertaking those duties sufficiently, so please pardon my intrusion~~!!"

Ryūnosuke said, energetically dashing to kneel down on the ground before them.

"Urahara san wants to convey to the vice captain that you should feel more at ease than usual because Tsukabishi Tessai san will join in aiding Shino san……"

Madarame Shino is Ryūnosuke's companion, they are a two person set-up stationed on duty in Karakura Town.

"That being the case there is no need to worry……"

"Do you know each other?"

"I am a soldier of the 13th division. I am tasked with an on-going mission in Karakura town"

"And he's my brother! It seems this guy has a package for the two of you from Urahara Kisuke san."

Prompted by Rikichi, Ryūnosuke removed something wrapped in a (furoshiki) cloth that he was carrying on his back, he held out a box that was inside it to the pair.

"For some reason, I'm afraid to open it……"

Renji who accepted the case, placed his hand over the the lid.

"Yeah……because it's a gift from that guy……"

Rukia who appeared as if she was being hidden by Renji's body, watched intently as his hand worked to open the box.

Just before the box was completely opened, a puff of white smoke appeared from inside, Urahara's voice began to play out, "Hell~o~! It's been awhile since I last contacted you~!"

"Whaaa!?"

"Huuuuh!?

Regardless of the fact that Renji had thrown down the box in shock, the voice continued to stream out. Ryūnosuke crouched down appearing to be protecting his head with both arms, Rikichi, unable to remain standing due to the surprise, fell on his backside.

"Kuchiki san, Abarai san, congratulations on your marriage!”

Sounds of a fanfare reverberated in addition to his voice.

"Did you tell him about it?" Renji inquired, Rukia shook her head from side to side.

"It's the second day off duty together for you both, so that must mean today, to start with, you should have gone to the High Spirit Bureau, after experiencing the trauma of the waiting time at the Personnel Bureau, the two of you set out from early morning, however you unexpectedly finished early, since there is time until the next public office is opened, this time you should be returning to the 6th division's barracks to tidy up the lieutenant's room, seeing as Abarai san is well acquainted with Yuki Rikichi san, I thought I'd get Rikichi san's younger brother Ryūnosuke san to go there~"

"You're practically a psychic aren't you!!"

Renji yelled whilst sweating. Of course, Urahara couldn't respond because it was a recording.

"Because I am indebted to you both, I have also prepared a special gift for you from Urahara Shop!"

In an instant the white smoke cleared away and its contents became exposed.

"Tenikui* (*lit. transfer posts) Warp Assistor~!!"

Inside, there were red pegs and blue pegs, eight of each no bigger than one's palm, and fitted into the space that was empty, there was a silver coloured plate with 'Tenikui Warp Assistor' carved onto it.

"Those pegs were made using the technology of the Tenkai Kecchu*, with this you are able to transfer items instantly between two points when you enclose something with four of these pegs of the same colour! I have sent two sets for the two of you who will be living together outside of the barracks after this, so now you are able to move things between your house and respective barracks in an instant!"

(*Tenkai Kecchu - think back to the fake Karakura Town arc, it's the device Urahara created to swap out the real KT with the fake i.e. those four giant pillars)

"Teleportation!? That's insanely convenient isn't it!!"

"It's certainly convenient but……"

Rukia feeling precautious, thought it was too good to be true.

"I've made similar things in the past but, the captain commander scolded me saying 'What if our enemies manage to use that to crowd us and attack!'……well for that reason please use this secretly~"

"It's for that reason he shouldn't spread such a thing……"

"Well, but still……! It's okay if we use it secretly……"

"We can't possibly use something Genryuusai dono said no to can we!?"

"Incidentally, Kurotsuchi san has used and installed something similar to this throughout the Seireitei~"

"See I told you so!"

"What do you mean 'I told you so'! Captain Kurotsuchi can go as far as using experimental things like this because he's in a position where he's expected to develop technology……”

"Which reminds me, the Shinigami Women's Association also used a warp device installed by Nemu san when going to their hideout."

"……huh?"

"But……!"

"And then, Omaeda san also paid Kurotsuchi san a great deal of money, making it possible for him to warp between his home and his squad barracks"

"Alright, let's use it! This device is already being widely used!"

When Rukia declared as such, with a *woosh* Renji posed victoriously.

"……I think by this point Kuchiki San would have also given in, so the explanation of the product is now over!"

Knowing her thoughts were being read perfectly, she let out a groan in annoyance.

"Well then, Kuchiki san, Abarai san, I wish you everlasting happiness! ……please talk to me if you have any worries. I can offer advice, whatever I am able to do"

"We should have nothing to fear if we could get advice from the founder and former director of the Department of Research and Development! Should we?"

"Ah……really……"

How many times has this person helped them? No matter how desperate the situation was, he always devised countermeasures, and managed to show them the path forward.

Rukia's heart overflowed with gratitude.

"Furthermore please note, this voice recording will not automatically terminate, as long as the box stays open it will loop repeatedly……Hell~o~! It's been awhile since I last contacted yo-"

Rukia quickly closed the box. Renji silently took it, without pause he tied the lid with a spare hair cord so that it would not open.

"……I get the impression that Urahara san is ‘that sort of person’ huh……"

Rikichi muttered with regret. For the soldiers who have never actually encountered Urahara, their knowledge of his remarkable feats comes from 'Seireitei Communication', and there are many people who see him as a hero. Rikichi was also one of those people.

"I was also inspired by him, until I actually met him……"

Hinting at the implication that he isn’t inspired by Urahara anymore, Ryūnosuke sighed. As for, Rukia it was easy to imagine the possibility of him being put through various practical jokes by Urahara whilst he was stationed on duty.

"There is no other person who is as reliable as him when it came to times of war……"

"If Urahara san isn't being revered by this guy, then that must mean there is peace in the Human World too, am I right? It's a good thing, don't you think?"

Renji said with a laugh.

"That’s true……" Rukia said with a soft expression whilst nodding in agreement.

End.

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

The True Will Reprised

Hitsuhina Week 2018 - Day 2: Protect / A scene that should have happened

Rating: T (some violence)

Setting: Within chapter 592 (I recommend going back and reading chapters 592 to 594 just to refresh your memory). Let’s just say Momo is a lot closer to the battle between zombie Hitsugaya and his opponents then we thought, and Hirako is unconscious due to exhaustion.

Synopsis: Set in chapter 592. As Momo heals Omaeda and Soi Fon, the battle between Giselle and the Shinigami gets too close. What will she do when discovers her most trusted friend has become an unwilling enemy?

AN: I’ll never forget when I first read the manga chapters with zombie Hitsugaya; I was left hoping and waiting for Momo to show up and react to Toshiro’s predicament, only to have it never happen. Well, today it will! The title is meant to be a reference to chapter 131. If you squint, you can see how this might also fit under the theme of ‘protect’ too ;) I hope all enjoy this!

Momo heard explosions and the clashing of swords echo all around her. She had ignored it all, focusing on healing Omaeda, who shifted his gaze between the arm she was healing, the unconscious young girl –his sister, Momo assumed – wrapped up in his good arm, and his semi-conscious captain lying behind her. Once she had healed him, the plan was to move away to a safer location until both of their captain’s had fully regained consciousness, and meet up with other surviving Shinigami along the way.

Those plans and her focus came to a halt when a massive wall of ice shot up, crackling through the air and cutting a straight line through several buildings.

Momo’s kido stutters as she looks behind Omaeda, her hands shaking and her eyes wide. Omaeda follows her gaze. “W-What is that?!”

“…Hitsugaya-kun?” With ice like that, there is no doubt in her mind it was him. She remembers seeing the massive ice cross before, a body encased at its centre. When she recognised the shape, she knew Toshiro had gotten his bankai back. Being able to conjure up this much ice only cemented that fact.

Omaeda blinks. “Y-Yeah, I think so! He must have gone to help Ikkaku and Yumichika!”

Momo begins to smile, relieved, but falters. Watching the ice of wall crumble away, it occurs to her that she could sense four reiatsu – Ikkaku, Yumichika, Nemu, and Mayuri. She had felt Toshiro fade hours ago, and it had worried her greatly. But if that really was him, why wasn’t his reiatsu among the ones at the battle?

Her heart skips a beat and she swallows against the growing tightness in her throat. Without looking away from the crumbling ice wall, she says, “Omaeda-kun, how’s your arm?”

“It’s still a little sore,” he says, turning his attention back to her. “I should be able to use it to…hey, what’s with that look?”

Momo pulls her hands away from him, deactivating the kido in the process, and stands up. “The battle might be getting too close to here. When Captain Soi Fon has regained consciousness, please take her, my captain, and your sister to a safer spot.”

“Huh, what?!”

Her hand goes to Tobiume’s hilt. “I can’t sense Captain Hitsugaya’s reiatsu. Can you?”

Omaeda takes a moment before responding. “I…I can’t. Then what about that ice?”

Momo steps around to his side. “I’m going over there to see, and to offer my assistance so that the battle doesn’t reach you and the captains.”

“Wait, Lieutenant Hinamori!”

Momo finally looks at him, turning her worried expression into one of determination. “Just get to a safer distance when you can. I’ll come find you afterwards and finish you’re healing.”

Without another word, she sprints towards the four reiatsu. She hears Omaeda’s protests behind her, and she bites the inside of her cheek at the pang that briefly flushes through her chest. She shouldn’t leave him and the captains. On the other hand, something wasn’t right, and the potential for the battle to reach the unconscious captains and that his younger sister was too great.

Putting this debate at the back of her mind, she focuses on the reiatsu. It’s not long before she pin-points where they are and changes her course accordingly. Her surroundings are blurred, but there are some remnants of the ice wall from before, plastered to the broken walls and cracked tiles. Panting, she runs faster and leaps over debris, hand tightening on Tobiume when a few figures start to take shape on top of one of the buildings.

She can make out Mayuri, who faced…a Quincy on the edge of the roof? But he had his back turned to another Quincy. Momo draws her Zanpakuto and leaps, jumping from one wall or roof to the next, up towards the building the captain and the Quincy.

She’s about to call out a warning to Mayuri, but it vanishes when she sees who is behind him. She stumbles on to a nearby roof, grunting when she lands on her side. Her widened eyes are still on the figures above, and she struggles to stand back up.

The Quincy behind Mayuri is a boy of short stature, with dark maroon-red skin and white hair styled too similarly to her childhood friend’s.

She chokes on a gasp. It can’t be…

Another figure jumps in, landing in front of the shorter Quincy. The lieutenant doesn’t know who or what this being is, but judging from the way Mayuri barely reacts, he must know them. It’s only a moment later when the shorter Quincy brings down his sword, cutting through his opponent. Blood sprays through the air, but none of it spills on to his white uniform.

The sword in his grasp is without a doubt Hyourinmaru; but somehow, she’s still unable to believe it. Before Momo knows it, the Zanpakuto is being brought down to finish the job on his opponent.

Without a second thought, she scrambles to her feet and calls out. “Shiro!”

His blade suddenly stops mid-arc. Everyone’s attention turns to her, including the boy’s. His turquoise eyes, flat and lifeless, is all it takes for the last of her denial to crumble away. Her grip on Tobiume momentarily slackens. What had happened to him?

The lieutenant aims her hands to the ground. “Hado fifty-seven,” she murmurs, still weak from shock, “Daichi Tenyo.”

The kido cracks the roof tiles and sends her flying up, making her able to cross over the gigantic gap between her building and the taller one her friend is on. She grunts when she lands, pain flaring up the soles of her feet. Briefly, she is distracted by Toshiro’s fallen opponent, who is barely conscious and gapping at the deep slash running up the length of his body.

Cringing, she turns gaze to the boy. It is him, but…not entirely. She senses nothing from him – not his reiatsu, not even an emotion or vibe. It’s as though he’s dead. He doesn’t even blink when she takes a step towards him.

“Ah, another one!”

Momo flinches, her focus so zeroed in on Toshiro she had forgotten there are others present. She turns her attention to the Quincy, who leans to the right to be seen past Mayuri. The latter looks at her in annoyance.

“You just had to get in the way, didn’t you?” he half grumbles.

At this, Momo let out a confused grunt. “Captain Kurotsuchi…” Without look away from the captain, she shakily gestures to Toshiro with her free hand. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I made him my zombie!” the Quincy pipes up. She now walks towards Momo along the ledge of the building, her footsteps light and almost carefree.

“Z-Zombie?” Momo questions, hating the confused stammer in her voice.

“He’s under my control, Shinigami.” The Quincy comes to a stop and straightens. “Here, let me show you. Well, come on Captain, what’re you waiting for? Take her out!”

Momo lets out a startled cry and whirls back on Toshiro, her guard only half up. The zombified captain raises his blade, eyes focused on her. Momo reluctantly raises Tobiume and tries to calm the jitters running under her skin. She can’t tell whether it’s from confusion or from her blood turning cold in her veins. Her voice is strained, both pleading and confused when she says, “Shiro-chan…”

The boy’s frown deepens and the corners of his mouth draw downward. It’s the first emotive thing he has done since she’d seen him. It’s enough to make her eyes widen again. He had no problem taking down that other opponent within a few seconds, but here he seems to be hesitating.

“Huh?” From behind, the Quincy’s footsteps get closer. “Captain, did you hear what I said? Kill her!”

Realisation dawns on Momo. Is he fighting back against the Quincy’s control?

Maybe if she appeals to this, she can stop this fight from ever happening. “Shiro, don’t-”

Without warning, Toshiro lunges forward. Too stunned, Momo doesn’t have any time to react when his hand shoots out and grabs her arm. She yelps when she’s harshly pulled forward and sent flying. Her world becomes a blur as pain flares up in her shoulder joint. She hits the roof again, tumbling and spinning until her back hits a piece of debris. Tobiume bounces from her grip, clattering to a stop a few meters away.

Wincing, she quickly gets back to her feet, eyes on Toshiro as he runs at her. Behind him, Mayuri and the Quincy – who is backing away while the former is distracted – are now small, featureless figures in the distance. Since when was Toshiro strong enough to throw someone this far away? Did the Quincy’s ability also give him super strength?

When he raises his sword and leaps toward her, she dashes to the right, avoiding his strike that cleaves the debris in two. She barely manages to quell the spike of fear that rises in her as she watches him trying to dislodge his Zanpakuto from the concrete. If she hadn’t dodged that attack, he really would have killed her…

She has no choice.

Momo rushes towards Tobiume. Just as she takes up her Zanpakuto in both hands, Toshiro is stalking towards her, his steps quickening once she faces him again. She meets him halfway, but not planning to go on the attack. Their swords clash, and Momo puts her all behind blocking his attack. He is too strong, however, and he forces her back, the hilt of Tobiume digging into her sternum. It forces a gasp out of her, and she barely dodges the slash he makes for her throat.

When he comes in for the attack again, Momo points her index finger at his chest. “Hado one, Sho!”

The kido sends Toshiro stumbling back a step. Being a captain, any hado or bakudo above thirty were going to have very little effect on him. However, it’s enough of a distraction for her to slam her hands to the ground. “Bakudo twenty-one, Sekienton!”

Pink smoke bursts from the ground, and she is quick to leap back before she gets caught up in it. That should distract him enough for her to recover and come up with a plan. She has to fight him – even now the thought of it causes her wince – but there was no way she could defeat him; not when he is this focused on fighting with no regard for who she is. But if she finds and takes down the Quincy that is controlling him, maybe that would change him back to normal. But how could she get away from him long enough to-?

Coils of smoke cling to Toshiro when flash-steps through the fading plume. Momo hastily brings Tobiume back up, blocking against his strike. Their battle continues for what feels like hours, Zanpakuto bashing and clashing off each other, her kido spells being dodged or diffused, and Hyourinmaru’s ice being deflected or melted by Tobiume’s fire.

She’s pushing to her limits, barely able to keep up with his fast and harsh attacks. This isn’t like Toshiro’s usual fighting style at all. He’s ruthless and precise, his strikes meaning to cut deep into the flesh and bone of his opponent. Momo briefly recalls when he cut down his opponent from earlier, how deeply and purposefully he’d gorged him; how he had every intention of ending his life. Being in this state allows him to let go of his restraints and inhibitions. All this time, while in combat and in training with her or his subordinates, he’s been restraining himself.

Still caught up in this revelation, Momo misses the ice flurry shooting towards her. With a grunt, she’s flung back off her feet, winded.

Pain explodes through her head when the back of her skull bounces off the cracked wall of the rooftop access. The world is muffled and swirling, and for a moment she forgets where she is. She almost lets go of Tobiume as she tries to catch her breath. She can only move her legs, her torso and upper arms pinned to the wall by ice. She doesn’t register Toshiro sprinting at her, sword raised to stab her though the head. By the time she does, it’s too late.

Time slows as his blade stabs towards her.

She cries out and throws her head to the right, eyes shutting involuntarily. It’s all she can do, her only chance to survive – but even then he could hastily redirect his aim to her temple.

What if this was it? She’ll die at the hands of the one person who was a constant in her life. The one person who she had only recently found out had made a vow to protect her. The last person she never wanted to hurt again…

There’s the hum of his blade, and then there’s cracking. For a fraction of a second, she believes it’s her skulls being split apart, but then she forces her eyes to open wide.

Her vision is blurry, but she can tell he’s still in front of her. In her peripheral is Hyourinmaru’s blade, imbedded in the wall with the edge two inches away from her head.

She thought her blood had turned cold before, but she’s proven wrong when warm, red rivulets spill down her cheek. She chokes, unable to breathe for a different reason. Tremors run through her, the adrenaline still running hot and thick in her veins, wanting her to break free of the ice and move. A shocked tear rolls down her cheek, causing the fresh cut sliced into her cheekbone to string.

Toshiro hasn’t moved a muscle since Momo opened her eyes, but his frown deepens when the blood starts to drip off her jaw.

Too many emotions run through Momo; relief at being alive, shock at how close she had come to being killed, confusion and despair about this whole situation. Her head is blank, every single thought frozen by shock. She tilts her head slightly to get a better look at Toshiro as her vision clears, trying to avoid his Zanpakuto’s edge.

“Shiro-chan…” she half whimpers without realising.

Something flashes through his eyes, giving light to the dull blues and greens that make up his irises. His eyes narrow, as if in concentration…or regret.

“Hinamori…”

She didn’t believe she heard it the first time, but when he says her name again, her heart breaks. His voice is taut, as if he had to force out her name.

He’s not gone. He’s still in there, trying to fight against the Quincy’s control.

Momo bites the inside of her cheek to prevent a sob from escaping. “What…what did she do to you?” She tries to lean forward, but the ice prevents her. Her voice is barely above a whisper, as if afraid the Quincy were nearby to hear in on them. “How can I stop this?”

He says nothing, his gaze going to the cut on her cheek. He tightens his grip on Hyourinmaru, but he doesn’t pull the blade out. Her torso and arms are freezing from the ice and her lungs are burning. She can’t stay here.

She takes in a deep breath to steady her tremors. “I’m sorry…” She twists her wrist up, aiming Tobiume at Toshiro before he can react. “Snap, Tobiume!”

The explosion is enough to send him flying and for the ice encasing her to break apart. Once the fire dies down, she stumbles away from the wall, shaking off the ice that still clings to her. It feels like a dirty tactic to have pulled, but what choice did she have? Tobiume’s reiatsu seeps into her bones and starts warming her up.

She spots Toshiro at the ledge, clinging to it as he tries to stand. Her attack had only tattered the edges of his uniform, there wasn’t a scratch on him. She swallows back the relief as he turns his attention to her. His eyes are flat again, all trace of struggle gone.

Before she can do anything, he flash-steps past her and pulls Hyourinmaru out from the wall.  She charges at him as he rounds on her, and their blades collide once more.

This time their battle is different. The more they fight, the more his actions start to contradict. One minute he’s swinging his sword down to cleave off her arm, but when she doesn’t have enough time to block it, he swings the blade away, the edge just nipping at her sleeve.

No, Momo realises, even before now some his actions didn’t make sense.

Why had he thrown her away from the Quincy and Mayuri? Why would he want to create a greater distance between himself and the one who controlled him? To protect his master? But Mayuri still would’ve been there to fight her off, and Toshiro would’ve had to either battle the both of them or just her.

She puts the thought aside and tries to come up with a plan to subdue him before she goes to find the Quincy. It’s a minute later when she finds an opening. He swings Hyourinmaru from behind his back and Momo raises her fist.

“Bakudo eight, Seki!”

The blue orb conjured over her hand repels his attack and sends him stumbling back a few steps. She quickly thrust her hand out in front. She knows he’ll be able to break from the kido eventually, but it should still buy her enough time to recover and scout out the area. “Bakudo sixty-three, Sajo Sab-”

A netted barrier flashes up before her. With a grunt, she stumbles back as Toshiro’s blade clashes against it to no avail. The barrier runs from the ledge of the building to the broken wall she had been pinned to minutes ago. She hadn’t finished chanting the incantation, and this wasn’t the kido planned to summon.

Someone jumps down in front of her. She raises Tobiume, ready to battle, until she recognises who it is. “Captain Kurotsuchi?”

The said captain slides in front of her, blocking Toshiro from view and facing away from her. “That’s quite enough, Lieutenant,” he says. “You’ve distracted him long enough… though it did provide me with the opportunity to make sure I have everything set in place.”

“What do you-?”

He silences her with a dismissive wave. “Now, I suggest you leave. You’ll only interfere with the experiment I’m about to conduct.”

Momo frowns. “What’re you going to do to him?”

He continues on as if she hadn’t spoken. “Although, I would not mind if you wanted to be a participant. It would be useful to see how this affects living beings as well.”

Momo’s stomach wrenches. A part of her screams for her to stay put, to make sure the captain didn’t harm her childhood friend regardless of whatever this ‘experiment’ might do to her. Mayuri’s tactics could be cruel, even if they led to great things for the Seireitei. She pushes back against this part of her by reminding herself where her captain is right now; that she still needed to complete the healing on Soi Fon and Omaeda, not to mention herself now too. She can’t afford to be inhibited by anything.

She takes a reluctant step back, her sandal scraping like sandpaper against the roof. “You…You won’t kill him, right?”

Mayuri turned his head over his shoulder and sneered at her. “Of course not! The Captain is too much of an asset to the Soul Society, silly girl. And of course, there are all the studies I wish for him to partake in so I can understand his bankai better.”

It was perhaps the nicest thing Momo had ever heard the captain ever say about another Shinigami. “Are you going to change him back?”She’s surprised by the steel in her voice, by the tone that said ‘I’m not leaving until you tell me’.

Mayuri sighed, once again focusing on Toshiro. “That’s the idea,” he mutters. “Now go before I force you to!”

She can only nod before she takes another step, and then another, and then another. Now further away from Mayuri, she was able to see her childhood friend through the kido barrier. With a final glance to Toshiro - whose flat gaze goes to her - she turns and leaps off the side of the building. On her way down to the bottom, she hears the barrier come down and Mayuri speak, but his words are muffled. She’s quick to run away as soon as she lands, afraid that she will want to turn back again. Afraid of what Mayuri will do to break the Quincy’s control over Toshiro…

She finds Omaeda, who had Hirako under one arm and his sister in the other, a few minutes later. Soi Fon was standing, slightly bent over. Momo promises to heal her other wounds once they found a safer location. Once they were at a safer distance and Momo had resumed her healing, she heard a very distant, agonised cry.

Her hands, in process of bandaging the chest of Omaeda’s little sister, tremble. She raises one to press against her mouth as tears threaten to gather in her eyes. She scrunches her eyebrows together as her grip tightens around the bandage.

He’s still in there, she knows it.

Sequel here.