Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Slicer ❯ Meeting the Squad ( Chapter 2 )

`Finally, that stuffy meeting is over! Hurry up and let me out! I hate being stuck in this form!'

 

Captain Kakusareta glanced idly down at the zampakuto that was held against her waist by the decorative string that cut her obi in half. Rolling her eyes she turned her attention back to where she was going. `Quit fussing. I'll let you out once we get a good distance away from the other captains. I can't risk you ruining my first impression with your over flowing charm and distasteful ways.' The captain said in reply to her sword's request.

 

`Aw, common! You are so stiff! At least be flirtier when I'm stuck in here. Watching you go around being all formal and crap really makes me itch for release.'

 

`It's your own fault I'm like that. The last time I let you roam free you forever tarnished my name in the human world. Maybe I'd be a little less of a worry wart if you'd just pick a different form to appear as. When you are me it just makes me constantly worry about what you are making me do.' Drawing her hand up too rest on the hilt of her zampakuto the captain sighed as if she was exhausted.

 

`But you look so cool! Blonde hair, a thin waist, bootylicious hips! I won't say anything about the average boobs, but damn girl! How can you even ask me to take another form?'

 

“Easily, why don't you try something furry instead?” The captain grumbled under her breath as she adjusted the position of her zampakuto.

 

“Excuse me? Did you say something?”

 

Turning her head too glance at the owner of the voice Captain Kakusareta laughed, embarrassed.

 

“Sorry, my Zampakuto is acting up. She gets kinda temperamental when stuck in her unreleased form for too long.” She said smiling up at the Squad 10 captain. Pausing for a second in her steps she looked up at him with a flabbergasted expression. “Wait a second, when did you get so big? Last I remember you were a shrimp!”

 

The taller captain looked down at her, his piercing blue eyes catching hers. She was right, he had grown. After her acceptance into the Gotei 13 as a captain she had passed by him a few times in one day while she was running back and forth from the training grounds behind the 9th squad's barracks and the laboratory of the 12th squad. It was all in prep for the big trip she would be taking to the human world and she never actually did stop to talk to him, but he wasn't that hard to remember, seeing as how he looked like just an annoying little kid playing dress-up in a captain's garb back then.

 

“A Shrimp?” His eyebrow twitched slightly at the seemingly harmless word.

 

“Yeah, seven years ago, I could have sworn you were a midget.” Captain Kakusareta said as she stopped to look up at the former boy genius who also stopped to look down at her with a slight glare.

 

“A midget, eh? I wasn't that short back then.” He said in almost and angered tone.

 

“Oh yes you were. Then you were at least a foot shorter then me. Now you're like, a foot taller instead…” Captain Kakusareta said as she held her hand at the level of his former height. Shrugging she smiled up at him. “Well, that was then. I guess you were really a boy genius. Anyway, if you didn't already know, I'm Nariko Kakusareta, Captain of Squad Nine.

 

“Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad 10.”

 

“Oh! Now I remember where I've seen you before in the human world. You were good friends with Momo, no? Seeing her die during the war must have taken quite the toll on you.” Nariko pulled her eyes away from the other captain to glance around at the empty passageways around them. She shifted her weight to her left foot then too her right anxiously.

 

The other captain's eyes narrowed once again and his voice darkened. “What are you trying too-” Captain Hitsugaya started but stopped when the smaller woman lifted her hand to quiet him.

 

“Can you keep a secret?” She asked quietly as she stared up at him with a serious stare. Her hand lowered to her side as waited for his answer.

 

“It depends on what it is.” Hitsugaya answered after a moment's careful thought.

 

“Oh, never mind then. You'd probably want to tell someone about it if you knew.” She said waving a hand too suggest dismissing the thought of any secrets. “I just figured you'd like too see her again. Oh well. See ya around, neighbor.” Turning away from the squad 10 captain Nariko waved her hand in goodbye as she wandered off down the long corridor that lead too her squad's barracks. “Come find me if you believe you can keep your trap shut.” She yelled loud enough for him to hear.

 

“… Well that was… interesting…” He grumbled as he watched her turn around the next corner and disappear from his sight. Shaking his head he continued down his own path leading to his office.

 

“Whew, that was fun.” Nariko said to herself as she continued towards the barracks. “I wonder if he'll consider my offer…”

 

`I demand that you let me out this instant!'

 

Sighing tiredly Nariko reached for her Zampakuto and slowly lifted the blade from its sheath. “Alright already, but this is only so you won't bother me any longer…” Fully pulling the blade from its sheath Nariko flicked it up so the blade was vertically place in front of her face. “Meiru Anata no Jissai Irozuku, Seisakusha Masuku Ka Men.” (Show your true form, Maker of Masks) ((All Japanese phrases I post are written the English order. In Japanese it would be written more like “Your true form Revealed” instead of the English way, “Show your true form”))

 

Dropping the blade from her hand she stepped back before the hilt clacked against the ground. Upon contact with the concrete the sword froze in mid air and white goop started to leak from the blade and hilt. As the goop started to pile up on the ground it started too take shape into what appeared to be two feet, legs, hips, ect.

 

Soon a pure white body stood like a giant sized porcelain doll before Nariko. Tapping her foot she waited impatiently for the transformation to finish. “Hurry it up would ya? It never took you this long in the human world.” She grumbled.

 

As Nariko's complaints rang down the corridors the pure white body developed a peach color and long whisking blonde hair formed on the head of the body. After another long moment bright green eyes opened and pale pink lips smiled towards Nariko. “There, happy.”

 

“No, you're me and you are still clothed in human things.” Nariko said pointing towards the school outfit that was still clinging too her body.

 

“Well, you never gave me a Shihakusho to wear so what am I supposed too wear, nothing?” She asked crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“… Good point. Here,” Nariko said as she quickly removed her Captain's haori and handed it too the freshly formed woman. “Cover your human clothing with that and tie it with this.” Pulling a black ribbon from the sleeves of her Shihakusho she also handed it too her. “Just remember that your name in this for is Masuku. I'm going to call out Seisakusha Masuku Ka Men every time I want to get your attention.”

 

“Hey, aren't I the one that's supposed too pick out my name?” Masuku replied as she quickly slid her arms into the haori and wrapped it around herself.

 

“Not in this case, you're too much like a human for the other Shingami's tastes.” Rolling her eyes Nariko pulled the ribbon from Masuku's hands and wrapped it around her waist while she held the haori closed. Tying the ribbon into a bow on Masuku's back to keep it from coming loose she smiled, but quickly turned her face blank at the sight of the squad nine insignia on the back of the haori. Shoving her Zampakuto forward she said, “Now common, lets get back too the barracks and get you something that doesn't make people think that you are a captain.”

 

“Aw, but now people think I have more power then you around here.” Masuku said as she slowed allowing Nariko to walk beside her.

 

“I could turn you back into your first form with a simple command if you do anything to tarnish my name.” Nariko said threateningly.

 

“You always ruin all my fun… Anyway, how far away from this Barracks place are we?” Masuku asked as they turned a corner. Nariko didn't answer for a moment as she quickened her pace too walk ahead of Masuku.

 

“We're almost there, can't you hear the voices?” Nariko said.

 

“What voices?” Masuku asked dumbfounded. “I don't hear anything.”

 

“Of course, you blew your ear drums out not too long ago, good job on that by the way.” Nariko said as they rounded another corner and came upon a group of Shingami who were stopped in front of a large tile roofed building.

 

“Thank you, I tried.” Masuku said with a grin. Not bothering to notice the group Nariko continued on inside, letting Masuku get swamped by the crowd with an usher of welcoming words.

 

“Hey! Nariko, oh yes, hello. Hey! Wait up!” Masuku called too the stalking Captain.

 

Nariko glanced back too Masuku who was surrounded by a small group of Shingami who were very curious as too who she was. Nariko stared at her blankly for a long moment then slowly a grin turned the corners of her lips. Turning she blasted off in a full sprint, but stopped when she collided with an object. Catching herself in mid fall Nariko looked up at the object and laughed sheepishly. “Sorry there, Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi. I wasn't looking where I was going.”

 

“It's alright. Say, are you a new recruit? I haven't seen you before,” He asked looking down at Nariko.

 

“You're kidding right?” Nariko asked with her mouth hanging wide open. “I thought that at least my lieutenant would know me…” a forced stream of tears trickled down her face as she looked away in despair.

 

“Um, I'm sorry?” Hisagi said as he watched the sobbing woman dramatically overreact to the situation.

 

“Did they even tell you that you have a captain? It's been seven years; I'd think that they would have told you…” Nariko turned to him with tears no longer coating her face.

 

“What are you talking about?” Hisagi said as he quirked an eyebrow at her suspiciously. It wasn't everyday around here that a new and unsuspected captain rolled in from the blue, so Nariko didn't have too much of an expectation for familiarity, but they should at least know they have a captain.

 

“I'm you're new captain. I was appointed Captain seven years ago… It's actually rather depressing that they never told you that you have a captain. Geeze, what is that old geezer thinking by not letting even my existence be known. I really should have found you before I left…” Nariko puffed a sigh then smiled up at him. “Sorry I haven't been around too help with the paper work. I had a big project to fulfill in the human world that took me until now to finish.”

 

“…” Lieutenant Hisagi stared at her blankly for a moment until what she said finally clicked on in his head. “Wait, wait, wait. You, are the captain of the ninth squad? When did this happen? Who are you? Why has no one even mentioned your name? Why were you in the human world? What project?” Hisagi asked as everything thing Nariko had said finally started to sink in.

 

“Yes, I'm your captain. It happened seven years ago. I'm Nariko Kakusareta the captain of the Ninth Squad. Probably because I was on a top secret project that only I could do. I was in the human world fulfilling that top secret project. I'll tell you what it was when we can get away from the crowds. Is that all for the moment? I have to go and dig my Zampakuto out from the forming crowd over there.” Nariko jabbed the air over her shoulder with her thumb in reference too the woman cloaked in her haori who was being swamped by the other members of squad nine behind her.

 

Turning towards the forming crowd Nariko watched for a moment as Masuku was swamped with questions, praise and what ever else was mixed up in the voices from the crowd. After pitying Masuku for a good minute or two Nariko finally gave her Zampakuto a command, “Kudakeru to Henso Suru, Seisakusha Masuku Ka Men (Shatter the Masquerade, Maker of Masks),” She said quietly.

 

The woman surrounded by the crowd suddenly froze and her skin seemed to turn to sand. As her body and clothes fell away a Zampakuto formed from the sand. Rising above the crowd the sword turned its hilt towards its owner with the captain's haori and black bow hanging from the blade. Zooming across the room to Nariko's awaiting hand the true Captain sunk the blade back into its sheath and draped the haori across her shoulders.

 

“Sorry for any mix-up, but I am the true captain, not her.” The small crowd turned towards the captain and lieutenant who stood side by side unintentionally.

 

“My name is Nariko Kakusareta. I will be your captain from now till the end of my days.”