Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets Of An Unworthy Heart ❯ A Captain is Born ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: Langus

A vicious streak of white hot lightning cut a jagged path across the sky. The dark clouds looming over Seireitei illuminated for the briefest of moments with its light before a crackling boom of thunder echoed off the nearby mountains. For three days the ominous storms had suffocated Soul Society's bright skies. It was a chilling warning of what was to come. Inside the pristine walls of Seireitei that rose up stark white against the blackened sky, the air was charged with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. A shinigami was about to be made a Captain.

Such an event only took place once or twice a century. For many young and power hungry shinigmai, it was a day they would always remember. It was the day when they would witness what it meant to find true rank and status within Soul Society; to be recognized and awarded for their sacrifices and achievements.

It gave them hope and encouragement to find the strength within themselves to press on, to pass each and every challenge thrown their way and discover their true potential. But today was not their day to shine in the spotlight. While a few may have been excited at the prospect of witnessing a bankai release, there were many who were not.

In the history of Soul Society's thirteen squads there had never been such open controversy over a candidate's worthiness. Certainly there had been times when not everyone agreed about a candidate's leadership potential, but never anything quite as open or hostile as this particular instance.

Closed door meetings dissolved into shouting matches, Captains openly threatened one another in the courtyard and it seemed to everyone that there was no hope for reconciliation. Ultimately, it was Yamamoto who determined that every candidate deserved the chance to prove his worth before his peers. Thus, it was with the support of the elder, Aizen and Tousen that Ichimaru Gin was begrudgingly allowed to prove his worth to Soul Society.

As he walked towards the examination ring, the determined cadence of his footsteps echoed off the marble floors of the hallway. Gin's expression was grim and his mind focused on one thing - Rangiku. All of the training, the sweat and the blood he'd sacrificed so he could reach this moment were for her.

Today he'd become a Captain and she would be his Vice. It was the way he'd planned their future from the moment they'd stepped over the threshold into this domain, as nothing more than a couple of rag-tag kids from Rukongai.

He was well aware of the controversy surrounding his potential appointment, but the details were of little interest to him. It came as no surprise that there were those with vehement objections. As Aizen's lapdog he'd had few opportunities to make any real acquaintances, and those he did make were soon quashed. It was the way Aizen liked things and it kept life uncomplicated.

Though he was obedient more by necessity than choice, Gin wasn't ignorant. He understood that there were reasons why he was given looks of scorn and disdain as he walked through the halls of Shinigami Academy and it had nothing to do with any act or offence he'd ever committed.

Through hypnosis, Aizen had convinced the rest of Soul Society to shun him. Though it seemed like a cruel and twisted punishment at first, Gin eventually realized that it was a rather intelligent and well planned tactical move. As an outcast he would be the most obvious scapegoat should things go awry. It would be no hard feat to convince the others that he was the one responsible should the plan ever be leaked.

Though Aizen's cunning had irked him at first, he soon found himself impervious to it. Why should he give a damn what happened to Soul Society? It wasn't as if they'd ever given a second thought to him. The only person who cared about him and the only one he trusted was Rangiku and she, thankfully, was still the same girl he'd always known.

Despite his deep-seeded hatred for Aizen, he was thankful to him for that small mercy. He wasn't sure how he could have continued on if he saw those same cold looks from her as well.

As the examination ring neared, his footsteps were swallowed by the excited buzz of the crowd in the stands. As if producing a bankai wasn't difficult enough, the added pressure of performing in front of an audience consisting of every shinigami and student within the Shinigami Academy ensured that only the best would succeed.

Gin had no apprehension about his task. He'd performed his bankai dozens of times for Aizen. The bastard had trained him harder than he'd ever trained in his life. He'd pushed him to the breaking point, nearly killing him on more than one occasion, until he finally reached the pinnacle of his power - the bankai.

Even training under Aizen, it'd still taken decades to learn how to perfect the move, to bend it to his will so that it became not just a weapon but a part of his soul. When he breathed, it breathed, when he craved the blood of his enemies, his bankai gave it to him. He hoped that one day it would be enough to take down the man he loathed more than life, the one he was forced to call "Captain".

One day he would kill him, but he had to take things one step at a time. This day was the first day on that journey, the one that would make all the other steps possible.

Gin's feet came to a halt at the threshold of the arena. Gazing up, his green eyes lazily observed the fact that not a single seat remained unoccupied. He should've felt flattered but he couldn't help the bitter taste that rose into the back of his mouth.

They all wanted to see him fail. They hadn't come to cheer him on or because they were in awe of his talents. They wanted to see Aizen's little lapdog fail his test so they could pat themselves on the back and reassure one another that they'd been right about him all along. He could practically hear their crowing already,

“That silver-haired freak from Rukongai? Of course he'd failed. Trash like him never should've been admitted in the first place.”

Resting his hand on the hilt of his zanpakto, Gin couldn't stop the knowing smile from spreading across his features. Once the murmur of the crowd had quieted, he gathered himself and walked steadily to the centre of the ring.

The only sound to reach his ears was the sharp staccato rhythm of his heart as it beat adrenaline through his veins. The anticipation in the air was palpable, yet there was a complete absence of fear. He confidently squared his shoulders in defiance of the scrutinizing eyes all around him. It wasn't a question and there was no doubt in his mind - he would succeed.

There was a brief period during his training when he'd considered intentionally failing the test. If he failed, Aizen would no longer have any use for him; he'd be free from the stranglehold the Captain had on his life, or so he thought. Anticipating this betrayal, he'd been warned what the consequences of failure would be. He shuddered as Aizen's words crept to the forefront of his thoughts and shook his head to clear it.

No - failure was not an option. Turning, he nodded at the judges to signal he was ready. They greeted him with stony silence and impassive expressions, none offering any encouragement whatsoever.

Steeling one last calming breath, Gin drew his zanpakto from its sheath. The blade sang with pleasure as it was drawn and lifted to shine brightly beneath the vibrant stadium lights. He rotated his wrist to examine his blade while waiting for the simulation to begin. It was Hollows he was to fight, always Hollows.

When the first appeared, a grotesque hulking mass of white spirit energy, he stared up at it un-phased. There would be a dozen in total, or so Aizen had told him, one for every squad he had to prove himself to. He was required to use his zanpakto to defeat them and prove his skills were that of a Captain.

The beast released a primal scream, sounding uncannily like the real thing, and Gin wasted no time. With a single uttered command he sent his blade forward at lightning quick speed to pierce the creature's mask. He hadn't even bothered to move his feet.

He watched with satisfaction as the first Hollow fell away and disappeared, its cry of rage echoing through the arena. The faces of several of the younger Shinigami in the audience reflected their shock and horror. For many, this was their first time seeing a Hollow up close.

One down, eleven to go.

A small victory considering the challenges became progressively more difficult as the simulation continued. Turning in place he greeted the second Hollow with the same indifference. This one was snakelike in appearance, its large tail coiling behind it as it prepared to strike. He dispatched it within three moves, hardly a challenge for one who'd trained as hard as he had.

It wasn't until the fifth Hollow that the simulation became challenging. This one evaded his attacks and actually landed a strike that sent him hurtling backwards through the air towards the stands. He managed to catch himself just before his body careened into the spectators. Their shocked gasps echoed loudly in his ears as he pushed back into the ring.

He wondered if it was admiration he was hearing in their muttered curses and sharp inhales, or merely awe at the fact that he was still standing? Though the former would've been nice, he was fairly certain the majority of the audience felt no abundance of concern for his well being. With the exception of Rangiku and Aizen, he figured that nearly everyone had placed money on how many Hollows it would take before he was defeated.

The disgruntled faces he noticed out of the corner of his eye told him that with every Hollow he defeated he made new enemies. Not that he cared of course. What were a few more enemies when everyone already despised him?

The last simulation was the one that gave him the most trouble since it was designed entirely unlike its predecessors. Rather than one Hollow coming at you at a time, this one had four, each larger and more difficult than any of the others had been.

Using his zanpakto's second stage of release, he took out two of the smaller Hollows. He'd never considered that they were merely pawns designed to keep his attention diverted. As the dust of the first two Hollows fell in great billowing clouds, Gin turned to face his next two opponents and froze.

The larger of the two was the most imposing he'd seen thus far. Its body was massive, taking up nearly a third of the ring with great spiked horns protruding menacingly from its shoulders and mask. While this particular Hollow kept Gin occupied, the other lesser being darted through the air, its course set directly for Rangiku. That wasn't part of the simulation.

Knowing instinctively what was going on, he turned and glared murderously at the man he called Captain. Aizen's face remained impassive and disinterested, apparently un-phased by the unexpected turn of events.

Livid, Gin just barely noticed that despite Aizen's blatant disregard, several of the other Captains' eyes widened at the scene before them. Ukitake made a move to stand but he was stilled by KyÅraku's hand. It was against the rules to interfere no matter how dire the circumstances. If a Shinigami died taking the test then so be it. There was no room for failures in the upper echelons of Soul Society.

The sound of Rangiku's scream drew everyone's attention and they watched with numb shock as she was stolen from her seat. Though the simulation wasn't filled with true Hollows, the danger was just as real for anyone who happened to be trapped inside the ring without a zanpakto. The creatures were designed to show no mercy, to act as real Hollows would in every circumstance. If Gin did not save her, Rangiku would die.

Numbed with shock, the audience let out a mutual gasp of horror and shifted to the edge of their seats. There wasn't a single person in that theatre that didn't know or hadn't heard about the unique relationship between the two Shinigami in the ring. It was a mystery to them all exactly how two such opposite characters had ever become friends. Many were of the opinion that there wasn't any genuine affection there, that it was all for show, but even the detractors found themselves watching the scene breath-taken.

Though half hidden behind the cumbersome Hollow in front of him, Gin could still make out Rangiku's form trapped within the clutches of the second Hollow. It cried out triumphantly at its prize and stared with greedy dark eyes at the vibrant shinigami in his clutches.

This is a test…they're testing me… Tosee how I act under pressure, he tried to reason, but he couldn't calm the rage that shook his limbs.Â How dare they involve her in this!

This was his fight, his test! Not hers; it'd never been her battle. Feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Gin pointed his sword at the Hollows before him and confidently whispered the word everyone had waited so anxiously to hear.

"Bankai…"

The audience appeal toward watching such a test had much to do with the experience of witnessing a shinigami's bankai. It was fascinating to see how it materialized, what form it took and how it moved. The bankai, like the zanpakto, was one with the Shinigami who called upon it. It reflected a part of their true nature and the strength hidden within the very core of their being. For some this meant large violent displays of energy and for others it was a quiet, confident power that appeared in simple, less flashy designs.

The latter type were the most dangerous and unnerving to witness. When a shinigami had a large bankai it was easy to predict what their next move would be. The larger weapons were slower to move and harder to manipulate. Smaller bankais had a tendency to be lighting fast and razor sharp. When greeted with such a blade one often found himself impaled before he even realized the zanpakto's final release was complete.

Such was the situation facing the two unfortunate Hollows standing before Ichimaru Gin. His face hidden from the prying eyes of the crowd, all they could see was the ever present fox smile on his lips before the winds of reiatsu exploded around him, hiding his body from their view.

The sheer force of power emanating from him was enough to blow the roof directly off the arena. The building immediately darkened, lit only by the brief flashes of lightning that cut across the sky and the glow surrounding his zanpakto.

The irate cries of the two remaining Hollows echoed loudly in the darkness and sent chills of fear running down the spines of everyone who heard them. Where there had once been mixed anticipation and excitement in the crowd, there now existed only fear. Thick and palpable, it hung heavy on the air and suffocated the room. Shinigami clung to one another, shivering beneath the pressure of the reiatsu at the centre of the ring.

The cloud of dust circling throughout the arena began to settle as Gin's reiatsu focused into his blade. When he lifted his head they noticed instantly that the ever-present smile on his lips was gone. A grim frown offset the brilliant piercing green of his eyes. Eyes that'd always remained closed to the world were now open and glaring murderously at the Hollows still in the ring.

For such an elaborate display of power, the end result of Gin's bankai was somewhat disappointing for those watching. He remained unchanged and his sword appeared much the same as it had before. Like its owner, there was nothing special or remarkable about it.

Before the audience had a chance to make backhanded whispers to their neighbours about such things, the defeated cries of two hollows rang out through the darkness. A massive streak of lightning briefly illuminated the chilling scene. Though simple in design, Gin's zanpakto had split from the hilt into thousands of long, razor sharp piercing blades. Faster than many would've been able to see, even those of the Captain rank, his blade had travelled forward into the dark, splitting mid-journey to impale both unfortunate victims simultaneously.

While this feat was impressive by any means, what had the audience staring in horror was the one wayward blade that'd somehow broken away from the others and forged a path directly for Captain Aizen. Somehow through the darkness he'd sensed the blade, blocking it effortlessly with this own before it could strike him down.

Unconcerned with the Hollows, Gin's murderous glare remained fixed on Aizen. He scoffed at the fact that his attack his been thwarted so effortlessly and quickly retracted all the blades back into one single sword. Allowing his face to lift into its usual foxy smile he nodded in Aizen's direction.

"Someone's gotta keep ya on your toes…Captain."

Aizen didn't comment and his face remained impassive but Gin understood that there would be consequences for his actions. After a quick glance to ensure that Rangiku had made it to safety, he averted her wide, tear-filled eyes. The air inside the ring was deathly still. The audience collectively held its breath, afraid that even the slightest movement would break the spell he'd cast over them.

Satisfied that he'd at least accomplished part of his mission, Gin lowered himself to the sandy floor and sheathed his zanpakto rather anti-climactically at his hip. At that moment the Heavens above unleashed their watery burden upon all of Soul Society.

With the roof gone the entire arena was left open to suffer beneath the ice cold, pelting rain. Gin turned his face skyward and allowed the water to beat down against his skin and soak into his hair. It was a perfect way to end it.

Without awaiting further instructions from the other Captains, he stalked out of the arena leaving the crowd behind him drenched and speechless. The division Captains exchanged apprehensive glances with one another, but none could deny what they'd seen. He'd used his bankai and defeated the entire simulation almost effortlessly.

There was no reason they could find to deny him what he'd earned, a fact that settled uneasily in many of their stomachs. Despite having no proof he'd done any wrong, doubt still lingered in many of their minds.

If they could've accused him of somehow faking his bankai they would have, just to avoid putting someone like him into a position of power, a position which could potentially endanger all of Soul Society should he ever decide to betray them. The thought sent shivers down their spines that had nothing to do with the ice cold rain pelting their heads, and yet they could find no viable cause to deny him.

And so it was that on that day, Ichimaru Gin became the Third Division Captain.