Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Daydreams Come True ❯ Hanataro Yamada ( Chapter 28 )

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

 

Hanataro Yamada

 

He was accustomed to people ignoring him, pretending they didn't see him. That was the way of it for anyone lower than the Captain or Assistant Captain in 4th Division. It was way everyone treated members of his Division. Despite all the morale building Captain Unohana tried to do, it was hard to believe they were held in the same respect as the other Divisions of the Gotei 13 or valued for their contribution to keep the Seireitei running without being overrun with garbage, vermin or disease. It was even harder to believe that their position was higher than the belly of a snake when he was constantly mocked by any Division he encountered or when they deliberately dropped rubbish in front of him and kicked him when he picked it up. He might be a seated officer within 4th Division but others saw him as lower then their lowest grunts, except for Captain Ukitake and 13th Division. For some reason, perhaps following the gentle, understanding lead of their Captain the 13th Division unfailingly treated him as if he existed as more than a mere garbage collector. On a few occasions when he had attended Captain Ukitake when he had an attack, the man had expressed his appreciation for Hanataro's skills and even written a short note to Captain Unohana to express his appreciation.

 

But meeting Miss Kuchiki, (no, she'd insisted that he call her Rukia,). Meeting Rukia made him feel special. She was a member of a noble house and could afford to give herself airs, but instead she spoke to him as an equal and was grateful for the services he provided. Even when she was obviously broken by grief she had put aside her emotion and smiled and chatted to him. Sometimes the smiles were with trembling lips, but her noble bearing showed through. She had tried to help him with his cleaning duties but he assured her that he would prefer it if she sat and talked to him. So Rukia would sit and tell him about the human world, and some of the books she'd read. She talked about the people in her Division, but he noticed she never mentioned assistant captain Shiba. Hanataro remembered the man but did not bring him into the conversation, aware of the gossip that had surrounded her relationship with the man and the circumstances of his death. Miss Kuchiki, Rukia, often seemed to be holding her tears back and he didn't want to make her cry by mentioning distressing events.

 

Sometimes he questioned how she could be the product of a noble house. Her brother had nowhere near the courtesy of his sister but he was considered a noble. He barely acknowledged seated officers, let alone other subordinates. It confused him and when he asked Captain Unohana about it she had explained that some people were scared that if they showed even the slightest break from conventional decorum it would be judged harshly. Their pride in their background meant more than simple courtesy.

 

He had noticed that Captain Kuchiki had visited Captain Unohana on many occasions and had spoken to her with the utmost courtesy and respect. Possibly because she, too, was a Captain and had endeavoured to cure his wife in her final illness. After the death of the Captain's wife, Captain Unohana had remained sequestered in her quarters for some days. When she emerged on the third day, her eyes were bright and her demeanour unchanged. Hanataro believed she had wept over her failure but she would never permit that weakness to be exposed or exploited.

 

He shook his head trying to put his confused thoughts into some order. He was so tired and while he was trying to heal Mr Ichigo he had to concentrate and try to ignore his need for sleep. While he knew it was a questionable act and could cause him punishment and even disgrace he didn't care. For the sake of hyssop, they had actually shown him more care than those violent jerks from 11th Division. He tried to ignore the slights but it became increasingly difficult. Also from his conversations with Miss…Rukia he knew who the ryoka was. He was the man she thought had died and she had mourned his loss with a grief that had frightened him. Not that she permitted it to show when he was cleaning her cell, but because of the way she flinched any time she mentioned him and her eyes had glistened, heavy with tears.

 

“I think I'm going mad, Hanataro,” she had murmured quietly one day. “I know he's dead but I keep dreaming about him.”

 

Hanataro didn't know what to say. He swept the same part of the floor for a minute trying to think of anything that might provide a moment of sympathy. Glancing at her he saw that she was again trying to keep her expression neutral, but the shadow of sadness was plain. After biting her lip Rukia had continued.

 

“When he tells me in the dream that he's not dead I dare to hope for a moment. Then I wake up and the images of my brother delivering the killing blow rise before my eyes. He would have died from the wounds. There can be no hope for his survival,” her voice broke on the last word but she didn't cry. She clenched her fists hard and her face turned pale as she stared hard at the bars.

 

“Maybe he didn't die,” he'd said but it didn't sound like he meant the words. Captain Kuchiki wouldn't leave that to chance. If he had meant to kill Ichigo, then Ichigo would be dead.

 

That was why it was a shock to see the person with the orange hair in the Shinigami uniform that seemed to love to fight and yell. At first he had treated him as badly as the other Shinigami but after the encounter with 11th Division, Mr Ichigo and Mr Ganju actually bothered to listen to him. Then to make it even more amazing they had followed his advice and treated him like an equal. There seemed to be a companionship forming amongst the three of them that was unusual in its speed. At first he wondered about Mr Ganju and Mr Ichigo, whether they liked each other but there was a grudging respect and admiration that he was certain neither would admit.

 

Watching Mr Ichigo fight Assistant Captain Abarai had frightened and elated him at the same time. At first he had been certain that it would not be possible for the ryoka to win against someone who had risen to that level and that was the reason for his fear. As Mr Ichigo began to prevail he had felt the elation because this meant that all his hopes were not stupid. There might be a possibility that Miss Kuchi…. Rukia could be saved and from the execution. That hope lasted until he was healing Mr Ichigo.

 

The wounds were bad. The ryoka might have won but as he worked to repair the damage Hanataro wondered how he had. He hid his incredulity at the reactions Mr Ichigo had to some of the things he did. At first he tensed against the healing but then relaxed, allowing Hanataro to work with more speed as Mr Ichigo was accepting the healing, rather than resisting. The marked increase in blood pressure he tried to ignore and he couldn't explain how Mr Ichigo seemed to be regaining his strength so quickly. There was something happening that he didn't understand but he ignored it and concentrated on repairing the damage. It was possible that there would be another battle tomorrow or, he hardly permitted the hope to begin, that they could rescue Rukia.

 

Eventually Mr Ichigo was healed and he began to work on healing Mr Ganju. He could feel his eyes closing as he worked and tiredness swept over him. He'd close his eyes, for a moment, to rest them and then he'd continue working. There was no possibility he would sleep because the training empathised that a 4th Division officer didn't sleep until her/his patients were healed. A moment to shut out the glare of the faint lights…..

 

When he woke up, he didn't know where he was. It was hard to open his eyes and the lids felt heavy and sore. He tried to be brave even when Mr Ganju and Mr Ichigo teased him. They often seemed to talk about him even when he was there, but given the way other Shinigami treated him it was pleasant to be noticed and that they even seemed to show a little concern for him. Or perhaps they were jealous of how quickly the nutritional pill revived him. He could feel the effects almost immediately after he swallowed it. He'd had it drilled into him continuously by some of the others how they immediately felt fresh and ready to face any challenge. At first he'd felt nothing, no change. The energy level had remained the same and his head had not cleared, nor did he feel ready to work for another day without rest. Feeling guilty at his doubts, he assured himself it was something to do with his reiatsu. Maybe the pill didn't interact well with his spirit energy or he needed to use it more regularly to gain the effects. Surreptitiously he'd taken another pill shortly after the first and still felt nothing.

 

One of his junior officers had clapped him on the shoulder and asked, “It feels great, doesn't it? Like you could heal a dozen of the 11th Division losers and then cope with healing some of the weirdos from 12th Division.”

 

Not wishing to show yet again how he didn't fit in, Hanataro had nodded slightly but had said nothing. There must be something wrong with him if the effects of pill were lost on him.

 

Later he'd heard some laughter and heard his name mentioned and something about the pill, but he was too far away to hear everything. It didn't matter. It might have a delayed effect because of his different metabolism, but as long as he managed to function, that was all the mattered.

 

Snapping his mind back to the present he noticed that Mr Ganju and Mr Ichigo were looking at him expectantly.

 

“Hanataro, while it's great you healed us both, I would like to get out of here, soon,” Mr Ichigo said his gaze fixed on his face.

 

Of course, he wanted to go and save Miss Rukia and Hanataro was standing here thinking about stupid past events that were irrelevant. He really needed to learn to stay with it and not allow his mind to wander off on a tangent. Looking around he tried to assess where they were and the closest exit. He led them to the nearest stairway. After they left the sewers and began to climb the stairs a vague unease settled on him.

 

“Something is not right,” he muttered under his breath but continued climbing the stairs that stretched ever upward. A feeling, or rather a hazy impression didn't mean anything. It could be the side effects of the pill he'd taken. He'd been warned that the side effects might differ for each person and he was feeling slightly dizzy and disoriented.

 

After reaching the top he grew more certain that there was danger lurking ahead and not a danger that could be avoided or bargained with. Tension grew within him and he wondered how he could warn his companions. Would they listen to him or dismiss his concerns as overactive imagination?

 

“I don't think…” he began and grew silent as he saw both Mr Ganju and Mr Ichigo stagger as if some force had hit them...

 

“What the hell is that?” Mr Ichigo yelled the question.

 

Overwhelming spiritual pressure bathed them. Trying to continue Hanataro felt his strength falter and knew that he would only be a burden. He knew who was waiting for them and wanted to give a warning. It was no use. Each of them was now struggling to remain upright as they waves of pressure swept over them, battering at their minds, consuming their will and producing a fear that tasted like defeat.

 

He thought he said something, but the words were swept from his mind as he collapsed. His final thought was “I've been no help. If Miss Rukia dies it will be due to my failure. I should have been content with sticking to cleaning and garbage disposal. I don't have what it takes to be a hero.”

 

His stomach hurt and his head was swinging through the air. This felt bad and the pressure against his diaphragm continued. As he regained consciousness he realised he was being carried by Mr Ganju.

 

As if noticing he was awake, Mr Ganju placed him on the ground and explained the situation. He had felt sick before, now he wanted to die. Mr Kurosaki was facing Captain Kenpachi Zaraki. A man fabled through all the Seireitei. The only Captain who didn't know his zanpakuto's name and hadn't reached bankai. He'd only seen the man in the distance a few times and every time he'd been terrified. Looming over the other Shinigami, the rumours about the Captain's lust for blood had made him sound like some of the old fables about vampires or demons. It was said he laughed when he fought, because he delighted in battle the way others delighted in gaming or drinking.

 

He tried to explain this to Mr Ganju, but he didn't appear to be listening. Well he was listening, which Hanataro was still adjusting to, but he wasn't paying attention. It was different the being completely ignored, but not much better. Even though he knew he appeared as if he didn't know anything, he tried, with all his persuasive ability to try to convince the man he was talking to that they had to go back and rescue Mr Ichigo, but Mr Ganju refused to budge.

 

Then Hanataro began to listen to Mr Ganju and was swayed, swayed so easily. While Mr Ichigo distracted the Captain they could go on and save Miss Rukia. The intoxicating thought led to a quick daydream where she looked at him with such pride and gratitude he felt his chest swell. He would repay her kindness with freedom and the chance of life. Maybe that could lead to a fully fledged friendship without the constraints of bars, cleaning and other people listening. Mr Ichigo and Mr Ganju would be his friends too and his life would change immeasurably.

 

He wanted that dream to become a reality. Putting aside what he knew they should do, what was sensible, his protests became weaker and he allowed his argument to be overruled. The lure of the dream of the future was too sweet to deny.

 

The spirit pressure from the fighting ebbed away. It made it easier for him to move and he began to lead him through the network of streets in the clearest path to their goal, keeping in mind that they needed to employ both speed and subtlety. All the time he was thinking and hoping that Mr Ichigo was okay, that the Kenpachi, the 11th Division Captain, had not managed to kill him. It was unthinkable that Mr Ichigo could manage to defeat that Captain, but maybe he had decided to not kill Mr Ichigo. He'd heard that sometimes he could be merciful and allow his opponent to live, but Mr Ichigo was a ryoka. The worried niggled at him and he tried to voice them to Mr Ganju who dismissed them.

 

“We've got to save this Rukia person. Then we can find Ichigo and they can leave. Problem sorted,” he asserted with a great amount of confidence.

 

In the face of such belief, what could he say?

 

He led the way. The amount of activity he could feel was extraordinary. There seemed to be many people abroad, but he couldn't see many of them. He once again wished he'd taken the time to listen to the instructions on how to conceal his presence when he wanted to move unnoticed. At the time it didn't seem necessary. He could use the sewers to get through the Seireitei unnoticed and most of the time no one paid him any attention, but now it was different. With the ryoka abroad and the death of Captain Aizen, everyone was on high alert. Some people liked to skulk around, but he was not one of them. Now, he wanted to be sneaky and it was beyond his skills. He didn't do sneaky. Some nights he'd watched Iemura creep around 4th Division, listening at doors, trying to find out if people were talking about him, but he felt that the man wasn't very good. It was obvious to Hanataro that the man was doing this, so how could he hide it from other, even more observant Shinigami?

 

And from watching Mr Ganju, it was plain to him that he wouldn't be very good at hiding his presence from anyone. While he admired the man he was a little bit loud and had a tendency to act on impulse. It reminded him a little of Mr Ichigo. Did they recognise those characteristics in each other and maybe that explained that slight edge of competitiveness he noticed between them.

 

Before he'd expected it to happen, they were there. The long wooden walkway leading to the long white tower seemed both forbidding and appealing. He knew that the appeal was purely because the building contained Miss Rukia and was the end of the first part of this unplanned adventure. Once they'd rescued her he didn't know how they would manage to escape, but he was sure that Mr Ganju had a plan, or, if he was still alive, Mr Ichigo might follow and help them. Disclosing that he had the key to Miss Rukia's prison earned him praise from Mr Ganju.

 

Then the door opened and he was excitedly wondering how Miss Rukia and Mr Ganju would like each other. Mr Ganju was teasing him, he knew it, when he seemed more interested in her looks than the person she was. It had to be a joke because why would anyone go to all this effort to help some woman because she was pretty. Of course Miss Rukia was pretty, but that was unimportant.

 

They wanted to save Miss Rukia because she was special to each of them.

 

And then Mr Ganju saw Miss Rukia and everything changed. The next few moments took forever to pass and left him more shaken than he could have expected.

 

Mr Ganju recognised Miss Rukia and hated her for killing his brother. She admitted it, and even though he wondered, he was impressed by her bravery. Already under the threat of death she was facing a person who had no reason to wish to save her and seemed prepared to accept death at his hands.

 

Even so, he managed, or he thought he'd managed to convince Mr Ganju to save Miss Rukia.

 

Until Miss Rukia's brother appeared.

 

All the words that poured between him and Mr Ganju proved only one thing to him. He had to save Miss Rukia. Not because he was being brave because she was there, but it was what he should do. Coward that he was, he had allowed other people to dictate how he acted and reacted. As a member of 4th Division everyone expected him to be shy, quiet, unobtrusive, no problem to anyone.

 

And that was something he didn't understand. All these Shinigami, all these supposedly better fighters looked down on his Captain because she was quiet and never appeared to worry. She didn't assert herself unless she felt it was necessary, and most of the time she judged it as unnecessary. He'd once asked her why.

 

Smiling, she said, “Sometimes it's easier to act as people expect. It makes more of an impression when you step outside the boundaries of the person they think you are. Then they don't know what to do or how to react.”

 

“But you're one of the oldest and strongest captains,” he protested.

 

“Where did you get that notion?” The smile faded from her face, but her serene expression remained except for the hint of fire within the depths of her eyes. “Do I look old?”

 

Realising he'd said exactly the wrong thing; he tried to rephrase his words to better convey his meaning. “I know you're one of the original captains. I overheard Captain Ukitake mention it one day.”

 

As he spoke his captain looked down, her eyelashes hiding the expression in her eyes. “That is true,” was her careful reply.

 

“And I thought that since you've been a captain so long you must be very strong, as a captain and as a Shinigami,” he continued, hoping that this made sense.

 

Captain Unohana looked at him and smiled; a smile full of genuine warmth and appreciation. “But most people have forgotten both those facts. And there are other matters you've considered but haven't mentioned, aren't there Hanataro.”

 

He nodded and said the other things swiftly to make it clear that he wasn't hiding anything. “You know people's medical secrets, but you never use that information,”

 

A look of disdain passed briefly over her face. “That is against my code of ethics.”

 

Almost ignoring her comment he rushed on, “You conceal your reiatsu most of the time, but when it's revealed, it's so very strong. And one last thing.”

 

He paused, worried that he was overstepping the mark by talking to his superior officer like this, but his captain had always urged her Division to use their intelligence to question, observe and report. He had only been following her instructions. Swallowing he finished with, “And I've seen you control the thugs of the 11th Division with just a word and a smile. Not even the Kenpachi can do that.”

 

A giggle escaped his captain. A small surprisingly girlish sound and he was startled to hear it. Why was funny?

 

“Oh, Hanataro, you were so close, but you only saw the superficial,” seeing his frown she continued, “You'll work it out in time. You too act as people expect you will, but one day you won't and they will be surprised.”

 

This was the day she had meant; there was no question in his mind. He would act as his heart told him to. His brain was urging him to run away, to hide from this man who was rumoured to be as cold hearted and immovable as a lump of frozen stone. Common sense yelled at him that he could not, would not win and it would be a waste of life if he died now.

 

He refuted common sense. It didn't mater that he would die, that wasn't important. It would have been nice to live a little longer, to find out if Assistant Captain Hinamori could ever notice him, but even the hope that she might one day was enough.

 

Trying to hide his shaking he left the building and faced the Captain who was waiting there. If he gave him enough time, Mr Ganju might be able to escape with Miss Rukia and he would have played his part and helped Mr Ichigo. How could he refuse to help two people who loved each other and had been kind to him?

 

He just wished he didn't have to die to repay them. He'd already died once and decided it was over rated.

 

A flurry of movement behind him and he found he was pushed out of the way. He watched, unbelieving, as Mr Ganju did something he found unbelievably heroic. In spite of his protests, despite the hatred he felt toward Rukia, he was preparing to fight this Captain who had a spiritual pressure that equalled that they had felt before. All to defend a person who had killed his brother.

 

Humility rolled over him. There had been many examples of worth he had seen recently. Not the arrogant, self congratulatory behaviour he'd noticed amongst many of the Shinigami, and to be honest, Mr Ichigo was a little like that, sometimes, but overall these people had higher ideals. Even Assistant Captain Abarai. Hanataro wasn't certain who had been more astonished when he'd begged Mr Ichigo to save Miss Rukia. The assistant captain, Mr Ichigo or Hanataro.

 

That was how his Captain felt. She always insisted that every member of her Division put the welfare of the sick patients before their own. No other Division acted that way. Maybe that was one of the reasons that drew him to these people. The fact that they cared about others more than their own safety.

 

Watching, he wanted to see what plan the quick witted Mr Ganju had formulated. It had to be good if he was preparing to take on a Captain, especially this Captain. A few seconds later he was convinced that there was no plan. No plan and they were all going to die.

 

Even Rukia screamed at Mr Ganju to run, but he was yelling something about being a Shiba and then the Captain reacted.

 

There was more going on here than he could understand. He knew it took only minutes, but how those minutes lengthened into the most horrible hour of is life was one of those tricks that time likes to play on the mind, while he watched Mr Ganju get cut and then get shredded under the single attack. He was poised, ready to run in front of Mr Ganju if Captain Kuchiki attacked again only to see a man with long white hair appear behind him and grab his hand.

 

Why he didn't recognise Captain Ukitake immediately he blamed on the confusion he was feeling. This day had brought him more shocks and challenges than he thought he could remember, but to watch Rukia's captain prevent the death of Mr Ganju made him wonder why. Why did he preserve the life of a man he didn't know who was fighting a Captain?

 

Before that could develop he suddenly saw Mr Ichigo flying through the air. He didn't even question how he had managed that, appearing from the sky when he was needed most. It seemed that it was something that he would do, expected behaviour from a person who was constantly testing the boundaries of what was considered normal. Fool and weakling that he was the sight of his friend, alive and in full power made tears slide out of his eyes. No wonder he belonged in 4th Division if he cried like a little child when he found out his hero had survived and seemed worried about him.

 

Mr Ichigo ignored Miss Rukia as he reassured Hanataro. That seemed odd behaviour.

 

Then he saw Mr Ichigo and Miss Rukia together, looking at each other.

 

It overthrew all his ideals and daydreams. That was love. The single look that passed between then before they even spoke made it clear that there was no one else in their world. Only they could exist in that perfect moment of recognition, relief and rapture.

 

He thought he saw Miss Rukia whisper “You ARE alive.”

 

Miss Rukia's hands trembled as she seemed to be fighting an urge to reach out and touch Mr Ichigo, to cling onto him to gain the assurance that he was alive. Mr Ichigo's hand tremulously reached out to touch her cheek but he dropped it before it made contact. He held his breath, expecting to hear words of love pass between them, words that reassured their lover that their feelings hadn't changed.

 

He felt his mouth gape as they yelled at each other and insulted each other. If he had not seen that look, if their eyes stopped devouring each other he would think they were furious with each other. The words said one thing, the looks said another.

 

Was that how people in love acted? Gazed at each other with such longing while their mouths insulted and ordered the other around?

 

Having never been in a relationship like that Hanataro didn't know but before he could think it through Mr Ichigo and Captain Kuchiki began to fight. They moved almost too fast for him to follow the action, but he feared the Mr Ichigo would not, could not win against this man. He kept turning his attention from the fight to Miss Rukia's face, fearing what would happen to her is she should see her love fall. She was holding her breath as her eyes feverishly followed the action when suddenly another figure appeared and the fight stopped.

 

From what Miss Rukia told him, that person was the fabled ex Captain Yoruichi. Even in 4th Division they'd heard stories about her and her sudden departure from the Seireitei. People had idly speculated that she'd died while trying to perfect yet another dangerous attack that only she could master. Others had said that she had ascended to be one of the Court guards. Rumours abounded, one even suggesting that the present Captain of 2nd Division had murdered her in a fit of jealousy. No one really believed that, but this was proof that Yoruichi was not dead.

 

With her arrival, the fight was over and within minutes Yoruichi had taken Mr Ichigo.

 

The effect on Miss Rukia was devastating. She collapsed, crying. Hanataro had never seen her cry like this, the sobs wrenching through her body, but as he tried to go to her to help her two new people appeared preventing him from helping her. Despite his protests she was returned to her jail, still crying. He tried to persuade his mind that there might have been a measure of relief in her tears, in finding out for certain that Mr Ichigo was still alive. But he wasn't sure. He'd wanted to hug her and reassure her that the human was alive, that he had returned and would return to her again. He wanted to remind her that he, Hanataro cared whether she lived or died, despite the actions of her brother.

 

That was the thing he thought he would have found the hardest. To have a family member turn up and instead of helping you escape, be prepared to kill your saviours, and who knew, possibly prepared to kill a member of the family as well. No wonder Miss Rukia cried.

 

Hanataro now knew he didn't like Captain Kuchiki. All the rumours he'd heard about the man must be true. He didn't have any feeling.

 

What did he mean when he'd told Mr Ganju that he wouldn't kill him quickly because he was a member of the Shiba family? There was too much happening that he didn't understand.

 

His mind had been gnawing at that information. It was hard, no, it was impossible for him to see Miss Rukia as a murderer. Could she have really killed someone and then returned the body to the family with no trace of guilt or contrition? It didn't seem like the Miss Rukia he knew. And the Shiba family. He'd heard of them. The name was stuck in his memory but frustratingly he couldn't link it to anything. With everything that had happened he hadn't even thought about the importance of the name.

 

Shiba. Kuchiki. He might remember, but now he was too worried about how Captain Unohana might react when she found out her 7th seat had been actively supporting the ryoka and tried to free the prisoner.

 

He didn't think she'd be very pleased.

 

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Author's Note:

 

I told a big lie in my last author's note. Hanataro hardly features at all in either Volume 15 or 16. I should have written 13 or 14. Now my tongue is covered by pimples and it hurts to talk. At least my nose didn't grow, did it?

 

After writing half this chapter I lost my way. For some reason Hanataro became indistinct and fuzzy. Or it might have been me who went fuzzy. After a time everything became clear once I considered who the Captain of 4th Division is and how the other long serving captains regard her. Have I ever mentioned how much I admire Captain Unohana?

 

Now, the next featured character. Dear me… It's almost time for Momo, Kira or Rangiku. I'm leaning toward Ran, or maybe it could be another split chapter. Ichigo? Yoruichi? Heh heh. Or maybe these are more fibs meant to lead you astray.

 

Please review.

 

MS