Wandering Aimlessly: Meeting the Mysterious White-Haired Girl

Bleach: Meeting the White-haired Girl

Disturbed Training
Kentaro flowed through the forms, blade gliding through the air as he stepped nimbly. His breathing was calm and precise, his mind emptied of all thought. He was one with the sword, and it one with him, an extension of his arm that moved as surely as he did.

Jinta stood a slight distance away, copying Kentaro’s movements and adopting his styles. He knew the Yuengiri gave more flexibility during combat, and was eager to learn all he could. He didn’t mind the silence that drifted between the two either. Calmness was needed, and both wore it on their faces like a second skin.

They remained like that for a good while, until the sky stood at its full peak in fact. They camped in the shade of a few large oak trees that sheltered them from the sun’s warmth, though the day was far from cold. The wind carried the suns heat and they both stood dressed in thin training kimonos that exposed their chests.

At times, their paths crossed as they practiced, and steel rang on steel as they clashed briefly, moving back to their calm motions and precise movements. Kentaro’s thoughts were broken, though, as he watched Jinta’s progress. He’d only been coaching him in the Yuengiri styles for two weeks, and he’d already gained a large understanding of the individual techniques and movements. But what really surprised him was how easily he could sever his emotions.

Jinta noticed Kentaro watching, but paid no mind. They both suddenly moved as one as a bird chirped above them, like it was signaling the start of their battle. Steel collided again and sparks flew as each blow reverberated into the air, causing birds once resting in their nests to spring into the air on quick wings.

“You’ve improved,” Kentaro said, voice distant due to the severing of his emotions, “I’m gonna have to watch myself.” Jinta ducked beneath his next slash and struck upwards, lifting a small level of dirt, “Thanks,” Was all he said, keeping himself concentrated on the fight. A moment’s weakness or hesitation could spell the end.

Clink! Again they struck. Clink! Jinta avoided a blow aimed for his shoulder. Clink! Kentaro batted aside a low strike aimed for his legs. They both held their zanpakuto’s in a reverse-grip style, both twisting and turning to provide the striking angle, all the while protecting their blind spots well.

Stopping abruptly, the two exchanged quick glances before turning their gazes towards a nearby hill with a large oak tree sticking out from the top, casting the top in shadows that could’ve hid anything. Severed emotions caused an increase in perception, both in vision and hearing. And boots were tapping impatiently from the tree.

“Try and fool whoever it is,” Jinta whispered firmly, returning to his practice. Kentaro followed just as quickly, but he began to worry about Harumi and Riki. They had left to go for a walk a while back. “They’ll be fine,” Jinta said, as though he were reading his mind. “Riki’s stronger than I am, after all. He’s… not an ordinary Shinigami.”

Eyes that watch in Shadow
Harumi walked through the meadows of the Human World with an excited step and a beautiful glint in her eye. Today, she wore tight trousers that hugged her legs and a loose white shirt undone at the neck to accommodate the pleasant wind.

Riki walked with her, a smile on his face. He could communicate with wolves, though he said speaking with them was different than speaking with humans and the smile meant he was conversing with them now. Today he wore an average black t-shirt with slightly long sleeves and a pair of white shorts. His knees and legs bore small cuts from when they ran through some thorn bushes earlier.

They had spoken the entire morning away, rarely stopping unless to point out a stunning view or an animal skittering across the grassland quickly. They’d already seen several rabbits and hares pass them by. “It’s all so different than the Soul Society,” Riki said quietly, “there’s no war here, for one, and the place doesn’t smell like smoke.” He’d been at the front-line alongside Jinta and his older brother.

Harumi nodded agreement, though she said nothing on the matter. The last thing she wanted to talk about right now was the war, where death and destruction ran rampart. Pointing, she smiled at the view she had of the landscape. “Why couldn’t the Rukon District look like this?”

Riki nodded, but opted to remain silent. Harumi had that faraway look in her eyes, and that meant she was thinking about something. Instead, he opened his mind to the wolves nearby and received a flood of images. Wolves communicated through images when they couldn’t describe something in words. Fire and destruction usually meant extreme danger or death, while a breeze blowing over the surface of a pond was calm. Today, they sent images of blood, meaning they’d just found something on their hunt.

This particular area of the Human World was pretty sparsely populated and quite open. No one could see them regardless, but Riki couldn’t help but feel that he was being watched. The wolves sent an image; a young cub poking its head into a badgers den. It meant caution was needed, and Riki found the wolves were rarely wrong. For one, they knew more than one might think, and could sense hollow in a way unique to them. He continued on, scanning the hills around them with a keen eye.

A Warning Heeded
Kentaro and Jinta were finishing up, though they still felt like the eyes from before were on them. Birds returned to the trees when quiet returned after their sparring session. Sweat glistened on their foreheads and chests, and their clothing clung to them. “I’ve had enough of this,” Jinta said, concentrating his spiritual energy and firing off a Kidō spell that reduced the large oak tree to ash!

As the flames consumed the trunk and leaves, a lone figure leapt forward and scowled. “Well wasn’t that just downright rude!” A woman dusted ash from her rather tight-fitting outfit that hugged her in all the right places. “Well? Aren’t you gonna apologize!?”

Jinta shared a look with his friend before rounding on the new arrival, “Well, why were you spying on us? You’ve been watching us for the better part of an hour, now. So until I know the reason, I won’t be offering any apologies.” He had that firm set to his jaw that Kentaro knew meant trouble.

Sighing, Kentaro walked forward and cast Jinta a death glare. “He’s an idiot,” He said, tone considerate. “But the fools got a point. Why were you watching us?”

Riki and Harumi walked up and stood beside Jinta, obviously done with their walk. The unknown girl looked at them each in turn, before grinning. “Can’t a girl enjoy two good looking boys train?” She ran her eyes along each of them and smiled, running her fingertip up Kentaro’s chest. “What other reason would there be?”

Harumi moved forward, and Jinta thought by her swiftness that murder would be done. He didn’t really understand women, but when one was angry, you knew to stand back and shut up. “Who are you?” Harumi asked, and her tone was close to angry. Riki shared a concerned look with Jinta, both knowing full well what would come of this. One thing Harumi wouldn’t do, was let Kentaro be- The two nearly fell in sheer surprise!

The white-haired woman grinned and grabbed Kentaro by his kimono and pulled him into a long kiss! Even Harumi stared in utter disbelief before turning and stomping off. “Heh. Not bad,” The woman winked at them all and turned, “oh yes. My name. Akiye.” She vanished with one of the best shunpo’s either had ever seen before. Kentaro stood and stared, not really knowing what to think or do. “Guys,” They nodded, “I’m dead, aren’t I?” They nodded and turned to look at Harumi, her foot tapping the ground angrily...

Jinta and Riki vanished, leaving him to face the storm of her anger alone. It’s not as if he’d planned any of it. It was beyond his control, but somehow, he didn’t think she’d see it that way.

Next Story > A Rock and a Hard Place: The Old Swordsman