Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Daydreams Come True ❯ Ganju Shiba ( Chapter 27 )

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. I just borrowed the characters and write this purely for entertainment purposes.

 

This started as a mixed chapter and then something weird happened. The character I had little interest in writing, Ganju, suddenly developed into something more than a joke. Maybe that indicates there is hope for Keigo (well, it's not likely). So here is the chapter that turned out much longer than the planned 2,000 words.

 

 

Ganju Shiba

 

Now he was in the Seireitei he wasn't surprised that his brother had worked so hard to find a place here. Instead of the run-down buildings and town he was used to, this place seemed clean with wide paved streets and buildings that were well maintained and painted. All the buildings, which hadn't been destroyed since their arrival, were fully tiled on the roof and all the tiles appeared intact. Instead of streets that were created haphazardly, these were laid out in gridlines. Order instead of chaos.

 

Growing up with Kaien and Kukaku he had felt protected and in a more secure position than many of the other kids his age. They were strict, but fair and it had been Kaien's ambition from an early age to become a Shinigami. He could think of no higher honour.

 

“They hold the real power in Soul Society. I know they have to risk their lives and fight Hollows, but they don't do that every day. If I can become a member of one of the 13 Gotei squads, I might make our family important,” he'd told Ganju more than once. Each time his eyes would glow with an inner belief that indicated that there was more at work than his hope to advance his family.

 

Ganju would always nod and smile and say in return, “If anyone can get into the Academy, you can. They'll fight each other to have you join and then one day you'll be a Captain.” There was no doubt in his mind that his brother could become someone important to everyone, not just his family.

 

As soon as Kaien applied to the Academy for admission, he had been accepted and progressed rapidly. Within a short time he'd been promoted into the elite class and Ganju was proud of the recognition of his brother's talents. He'd never doubted him.

 

Rarely, but as often as he could, Kaien returned home, making observations about the other potential Shinigami, some of them funny, but none of the statements had been cruel. For a short while, Ganju had feared that the Seireitei would change his brother, make him become more serious and less relaxed, but if anything his brother seemed to find the new environment stimulating and the only change was the increase in his confidence. He hadn't adopted the air of importance that many of the other Shinigami seemed to adopt, as if they wanted to distance themselves from their humble origins.

 

When Kaien had graduated and been appointed as assistant captain of 13th Division, Ganju had been disappointed that there was no ceremony that they could attend. Kaien had a new family, the Shinigami, and his old family were meant to be distanced as part of his previous life. Though he tried to conceal it, it had hurt. He wanted to be there and the fear became real that with this change the distance would grow between them. He was a Shinigami and they were still ordinary, he would want to fully partake of his new life and forget the old. Not long afterward they received word that their brother intended to visit.

 

“Let's have a party,” Ganju had urged Kukaku. “A big party, with fireworks and sake and lots of friends.” It might be the last time they had this sort of excuse to celebrate with his brother and he wanted everyone to know who his brother was.

 

“We don't want to do that,” his sister said calmly and then pounced on him. “We'll draw attention to ourselves and that's not a good idea.” She tickled him and he began to giggle. “I keep forgetting how young you are,” she said as he started coughing from laughing too hard.

 

“A small party?” he offered.

 

The small party had grown larger and there were fireworks and sake and friends. His brother had laughed when he'd seen all the people who had come to wish him well and he was still wavering when he returned to his Division the following day, complaining of a headache and double vision. All the same he had squared his shoulders and entered through the gate with a swagger of assurance that made it hard to believe he'd only had a few hours sleep.

 

Now he was no longer studying, the visits home became more regular. He told them about his new life, Ganju had felt like scoffing at some of the descriptions of people and the place he lived, but he never mocked his brother. The pride he felt in having a brother who had risen to become an assistant captain made him feel that he was special, that their whole family was unique because of the talent of his brother. When the beautiful woman who'd agreed to become his brother's wife had visited the Shiba family, Ganju had resolved that he, too, would become a Shinigami. He wanted to see for himself the beauty of the Seireitei and find a talented, sweet and gorgeous woman who admired him, not only for his great manly beauty, but for his skills in fighting and leading others. He may not rise to the same heights as Kaien, but anything was possible if he keep exercising his skills.

 

He had seen the admiration that shone in Miyako's eyes when she looked at his brother and the gleam of delight and appreciation that was so evident whenever Kaien gazed upon his bride. When he had first heard that his brother planned to marry Ganju had immediately felt that the woman could never be worthy of his wonderful brother, but meeting Miyako changed that. Jokingly he had asked if she had a younger sister for him and her eyes had twinkled as she replied that her parents had unfortunately not thought of him when they planned their family. She only had a brother.

 

Kaien had laughed and said he didn't think that her brother would suit either of his siblings as he was already married. All of them, Ganju, Miyako, Kaien and Kukaku had burst into laughter for no particular reason and after that there was no doubt in Ganju's mind that his brother had chosen the best match for him and his family that was possible. Eagerly Ganju counted the days until he would be old enough to seek admission to the Shino Reijutsuin and take his place in the 13th Division. There was never any doubt in his mind that he wished to be placed in any other Division. Serving with his brother and sister-in-law was the pinnacle of his ambition and his sister didn't try to destroy his dreams. Encouraging him to train, giving pointers on how he could manipulate his reiatsu, he could not have requested a more positive influence than Kukaku. Those had been the good times, the part of his life by which he measured everything that happened before and afterward.

 

The that day arrived, when the woman had brought home the dead body of his brother and informed both Ganju and Kukaku that he had died by her hand and that his wife had also died. No details were provided and after delivering the message the Shinigami had left without delay. Even as he tried to pretend it was a joke, that his brother hadn't died and the body was a gigai, he knew. He could feel the absence of his brother in the world and it seemed a cold, grey place.

 

Numbly he assisted his sister in planning the funeral and then their new life began. Moving from place to place, building the canon and then relocating when necessary. He no longer planned to become a Shinigami. Those people had caused the death of his brother and had provided no explanation, or real apology. Kaien was dead and the Shinigami were responsible. They had become the enemy and were no longer worthy of his respect.

 

Instead of having a future planned and an ambition to fulfil, his life was reduced to the desire to punish the woman who had killed his brother. There was no reason for him to try to improve; he was not going to try to join the Academy. So each wasted day passed as he dawdled through life, achieving little, while the hatred grew in his soul. Every time he saw a Shinigami he spat loudly on the ground at their feet, hoping they would challenge him. It wouldn't take much to make him accept a challenge to fight, but all the Shinigami he met simply walked by, ignoring him. But his actions were noticed in Soul Society and soon he found himself approached by other young men who despised the Shinigami. The reasons for the hatred didn't matter but the emotion bound them closer than love would have done. Later they found they had other interest in common, mainly girls and causing turmoil in Soul Society for amusement.

 

Now he had friends, life became a bit easier. They rode wild pigs, made passes at the pretty girls, and created mayhem in the towns. Most of all, Ganju endeavoured to make people admire him more than the damned Soul Reapers. Looking into the mirror he appreciated what he saw and expected everyone around him to see the same image. How they missed it, he didn't understand, so he tried to think of a way to make everyone notice all his admirable qualities.

 

Taking the problem to his sister he knelt before her.

 

“What is it Ganju?” she sighed, not bothering to take the pipe from her mouth. She looked tired as she sprawled on the cushions in her preferred position. There had been no calls for her services for some days and she became bored when there was nothing to do.

 

“Why don't people see my talents? Why do they seem to admire the Shinigami so much and ignore the worthy people within Soul Society?” he asked, in his most conciliatory manner. Kuchiki would believe he was being conciliatory with her and he was, but she usually kicked him in the knees when he tried it.

 

His sister looked at him, her gaze level as she puffed on the pipe with consideration. The smoke circled lazily from the bowl of the pipe and poured out of her lips as she spoke. “Are you asking why people don't admire you?” she asked after a number of minutes.

 

“Yes.”

 

An idle smile curled her mouth and he missed the wicked flash of humour that crossed her eyes. He had bowed his head in order to show proper respect.

 

“Maybe they don't know. Why don't you tell them,” she said simply. The smoke plumed out of her pipe as she rested her elbow on a pillow.

 

Not fully comprehending what she meant he raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth preparing to ask further questions.

 

“Tell them who you are. You can remind them of your qualities and abilities,” her face was bland as she advised him. He thought he caught a trace of ridicule in her tone, but why would she make fun of him? Admittedly she had appeared slightly irritated recently when he'd postured in front of her and after he'd spent a considerable amount of money on his warrior's clothes, but it was their money. He'd helped earn it.

 

Bowing he left the room and went to a quiet place to think. What could he say that would remind people? He'd list his achievements, his preferences and let them know they were lucky to have a man like him amongst them.

 

The first time he proclaimed anything, people laughed at him, except for his friends. They encouraged him, telling him that it might take more than one try for people to be persuaded. His friends were correct. After a time, people stopped laughing at him and he was involved in fewer brawls. Now, believing that he was gaining the admiration he deserved he added more self bestowed titles, seeing his abilities improve with each passing day. He thought of his brother less often.

 

While he basked in the admiration of his friends, it still didn't bring him the one thing he really wanted: the rapt attention of any of the females in Soul Society. He noticed that they still sighed after the Shinigami but seemed to ignore him and his friends. Why were they so blind? What did the Shinigami have that he didn't? It was true they had position, but so what? They also had power. Power and position weren't everything, were they? The cool uniform was a plus, but he had a cool uniform, made to his own design. So aside from power, position and a cool uniform, what did the Shinigami have that he didn't? As more things came to his attention he decided that this wasn't helping. Heck, if he kept thinking this way he'd probably start longing for a female Shinigami and that would never happen. Not to a Shiba who had lost his brother by the hand of that treacherous female whom had betrayed every principle he thought a Shinigami should hold sacred.

 

A few days passed and he considered matters but nothing he thought of helped. Talking to his friends shed no further light on the problem as they seemed to possess less imagination and more resentment that he did. There was only one person who had a clear understanding of how the world worked and could provide him with any insight. It took some courage to approach his sister again, but he waited until she was in a good mood and he used the excuse of discussing woman generally to gain information about the strange workings of the female mind. After he assured her that he'd done as she advised she smiled sweetly and told him to be patient. No more, no less. He tried being subtle, but she waved him out.

 

“I'm tired. To understand women you have to talk to them. If you treat them like people, instead of a different race, you might have more success. Now go and talk to one like you actually care about what she has to say.”

 

That made no sense to him. What did she mean? Women were a different race. All the men he'd met agreed about that. They didn't think like men, concerned as they were about clothes and appearance. Women wanted admiration, unlike men. He didn't understand them at all. Instead of following her advice he went to his room and daydreamed, the daydream he confessed to none.

 

He dreamed of the girl who would be his. She would have large wondering eyes that regarded him with awe set in a beautiful face. Or course she would be shorter than him. He didn't care about her hair colour as long as she had some hair, preferably long. The other physical attribute he really wanted her to have was large firm breasts.

 

When he encountered any females in Soul Society his eyes instinctively slid down to her breasts before he looked into the eyes. Surreptitious though his glance was, he wondered if the women noticed because each time he tried to talk to a female they suddenly remembered they had to go somewhere, or do shopping for the family, or they would explain that their hair required washing. Any one would think they didn't want to spend time in his company, but that couldn't be correct. Every time he looked in the mirror he was again reminded of his good looks. How could he talk to one of them like he was interested if they wouldn't talk to him?

 

Going into town one day close to curfew, he thought he'd found her, the perfect girl. She looked sweet but he was fighting some weird looking Shinigami at the time he first noticed her. The guy had a big mouth and didn't seem like the other Shinigami he'd encountered but he seemed to want to fight which also showed the difference. He was loud and irritating. For some reason he felt he knew the person he was fighting, but he'd never seen anyone with that hair colour before. Ever time he spoke he heard an echo of another voice. It began to concern him because all the time he was fighting the stranger he felt a strange connection to him which made him fight all the more viciously.

 

The guy was nothing like his brother. He blocked out that thought immediately and consigned it to the place where he locked away all the other unacceptable ideas.

 

Instead he kept glancing at the unfamiliar female. By contrast to the jerk who seemed to have trouble understanding whom he was fighting, the girl looked so pretty and gentle with the large glowing eyes. Her bosom was even larger than imagined. He couldn't prevent his eyes from caressing her lush curves and she didn't seem to mind, or was it she didn't notice? Why she was hanging around with the orange haired fool he didn't know, but he didn't even have time to introduce himself properly before the kid attacked him. Entangled in the fight he didn't realise how the time had passed and had to hurriedly leave before learning his future girlfriend's name.

 

Arriving home, his sister voiced her displeasure. “You're late. Tomorrow you will stay here and help clean up. You've annoyed the townspeople too often recently,” she told him, her eyes snapping blackly in her face that bore no hint of the usual indulgence.

 

He nodded but inside he was seething and anxious. Of all the times to be confined to his home, this was the worst. How could he find the girl if he was kept in the house, doing dumb jobs? Sleep eluded him that night as he pictured her, smiling, her eyes glowing with love as she gazed up at him. She was a class above all the ordinary women who inhabited Soul Society. He would have to soon to find out who she was. He'd sneak out when his sister was busy and search throughout Soul Society to find her.

 

All his plans came to nought. Instead his beauty sought him out. He tried to convince his mind that this was so, but the evidence pointed in another direction. The group of people she was with needed his sister's help. He vaguely remembered Yoruichi visiting, but that had been so far in the past while he had been young and he couldn't remember much. Maybe it was coincidence but he Ganju didn't believe that anything happened by chance. They must be fated to be together. That was the only possible explanation.

 

Watching the strangers interact he noticed the big guy seemed friendly with the Shinigami and the girl, but on a more superficial level. The guy with the glasses admired the girl, or course, and had a weird sort of competitive relationship with the annoying guy. But, the girl, Orihime, she liked the guy he fought, and didn't hide her admiration. The others she treated politely, as friends and Ganju swallowed his disappointment as began to plan.

 

The dumb cluck didn't even seem interested in the beauty that accompanied him. At first it seemed impossible that he didn't notice, but in listening to the conversation it began to become evident that Ichigo was in love with someone within the Seireitei and had come all the way from the human world to save her. Why he'd brought the other people he didn't know, but they all seemed pleased to be there. There was a feeling of loyalty to Ichigo and the Shinigami, Rukia. Unless it was an elaborate hoax.

 

With Ichigo possibly no longer part of the problem Ganju made two decisions:

 

He was going to accompany this ill assorted group within the Seireitei and he'd always be present so he could spend time with his future wife, Orihime.

Because of his heroic nature and the self sacrifice he would display in assisting in the rescue of their friend, he would impress Orihime and win her love. It was simple and after this display of his valour, how could she resist him?

 

It hadn't worked out exactly the way he planned, despite his efforts and hopes. Once they managed to get inside the Seireitei, instead of Orihime, he ended up with Ichigo. He had a sneaking suspicion that the girl had ended up with either the giant or the guy wearing the cape. A cape seemed a strange article to wear in Soul Society but it did make him look very different from Shinigami. Privately Ganju thought he looked like a stalk of white asparagus wearing a cape. Obviously anyone looking like that couldn't be a threat. The girl could never fall for someone so ordinary.

 

All this was bad enough but then he got chased by that effeminate Shinigami who insulted his manly good looks and tried to kill him. Obviously the guy had faulty vision or was too used to conventional good looks: bland, boring handsome features like his own and he could not recognise Ganju's obsessive appeal. If this continued he might be forced to reassess a few of his beliefs, but now was not the time.

 

Tricky creature that he was, the `pretty' Shinigami had confused Ganju until he managed his brilliant escape, worthy of any hero of legend. All the same his pride had been hurt by some of the comments made by the man. He contemplated, briefly, whether he had been incorrect in his supposition of his good looks, but that thought shook the basis of his reality. He could not follow it through as it disturbed him too much. Instead, once he was away from the irritating person, he recreated his daydream of his future, this time with Orihime at his side as his adoring and adored wife. He set off in search of her, hoping he would meet up with her soon and manage to impress her as he extricated her from some horrific situation.

 

Instead he met up with Ichigo again, not the gorgeous auburn haired female. And Ichigo kept stealing all the good fights. It was either that or people were more interested in fighting the guy rather than Ganju. It was interesting to watch how he met each challenge and there were a number of moves he thought he might be able to use next time he was fighting, but their styles were very different.

 

As time passed Ganju resented Ichigo less and understood his single minded attitude that led to his need to free his love. It wasn't only that he was in love with the woman, but felt that there was a debt owing that made it essential that he free her. All of this finally persuaded that there was no hoax and Ichigo had no romantic interest in Orihime. He was in love with the Shinigami he was trying to save. Not that he gushed on about her, but the way his voice softened when he spoke her name, the look in his eyes, indicated his resolve. Also Ganju had been in the room when Ichigo had woken after damaging Yoruichi's tail and had heard the guy mutter something about “Ruk” before he said “catnip”.

 

With this realisation everything changed. The rivalry he'd felt for the guy dissolved and as he had witnessed first hand his fighting ability he decided that maybe this outsider wasn't a useless maggot. He was going to take on the whole of the Seireitei and the Shinigami within. Any person who had that sort of ambition should have Ganju's support. The boy had vision and wasn't trying to pick small fights to prove a point.

 

That made it easier for Ganju to step aside and permit Ichigo to take to heroic role at least in part, though it suited him much better. The other leech they had following them, Hanataro, seemed equally obsessed with Rukia. She must be pretty special if she had managed to get these two guys so determined to save her. Was every person he met going to share this fanatical devotion to this woman? When he met her, would he too forget the beauty of Orihime and become slavishly devoted to Rukia? That would not happen. No one could eclipse the radiant loveliness of Orihime. A further worry overcame him. What if she encountered any Shinigami who wasn't blind? There would be more competition! Why hadn't he insisted she remain with his sister?

 

Then events began to move so fast he became confused and eventually gave up thinking and permitted his impulses to dictate his actions. It was easier that way especially after they encountered the assistant captain. Instead of joining in and helping defeat the guy he had developed enough admiration for Ichigo to allow him to battle without assistance. That was fine, except they had to spend another night in the sewers and he was getting fed up with having to spend time there. He was accustomed to being underground, mostly because that was how his sister felt forced to live, but that was different. Sewers, even well kept ones still contained wild life and he wasn't fond of rats. Not that he'd seen any but he was certain he'd heard them squeaking in the dark corners or scuttling past his feet while he slept.

 

Hanataro assured him over and over that there were no rats in the Seireitei sewers, but he was a Shinigami and he didn't feel inclined to trust him. There had to be rats, it was traditional that rats existed in sewers and he believed in traditions, as long as they supported his beliefs.

 

“There are no rats,” Hanataro said for the 12th time.

 

Ganju looked in the distance where he was sure he detected some small amount of movement. “Prove it,” he demanded as he barely controlled a shudder.

 

“How do I prove the absence of something? Mr Ganju, I'm trying to heal Mr Ichigo and I need to concentrate. I don't mean to be rude but shouldn't you prove there are rats?” Hanataro sounded tired as he again applied himself to using his reiatsu to heal one of the gouges that the assistant captain's zanpakuto had made in Ichigo's shoulder.

 

The question was a good one. How did you prove the non existence of something? But then how was Ganju going to prove it unless he found a rat and he didn't want to go searching for one.

 

“There are rats,” he muttered. “This is a sewer and sewers have rats unless there's something wrong with the sewer or the rats.”

 

Hanataro ignored him and he returned to the most brightly lit corner which. He moved into the corner with his back firmly against the wall. “I'll sleep here. Rats don't like the light and if I'm in a corner they might not notice me with Ichigo and Hanataro out there like that. They'll go for Ichigo first because he's weakest,” was his reasoning.

 

The next morning brought no assurance. Waking to find someone drooling over him and after a brief moments daydreaming working out it wasn't Orihime didn't brighten his day. The day progressively got worse, climbing the steps almost being flattened by that insane spirit pressure. The only good part of that was they were all affected so he didn't appear as some spineless jelly fish. After seeing the freakishly large foe Ganju immediately decided that Ichigo could fight him. He wouldn't challenge his right. It was Ichigo's fight and he could have it.

 

Ganju was feeling a little more assures as he was keeping his fears under control until Hanataro freaked out when he saw out who was waiting for them. The 4th Division Shinigami fainted and that didn't help. Ganju picked him up but then gave into his natural reaction, running like a chicken to get far away, not acting like the hero he was.

 

All the same, running didn't solve anything. While he was grateful to Ichigo for assuring him that he would take care of the Captain, he now he had to save Rukia and he had no idea how to set about finding her and what he'd do once he saved her.

 

That part of the plan had never been explained.

 

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Author's Note:

 

A pause between chapters (it sounds better than delay). Ur, sorry about it but there's little choice because *insert explanation for hold-up here*. I'm sure your imaginations will provide a much more interesting reason than the reality.

 

Now as to the featured character in the next chapter. Well as you may guess the person has already been chosen and part of their perspective already completed. Who could it be? The choice is so varied. Yamamoto? (Later, maybe? How do you write enigmatic?) I have a special offer. The next character will be one who is featured in either volume 15 or 16 of the manga. Good luck guessing.

 

Please review.

 

MS