Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Whispers Ride the Wind ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Bleach and all its characters are property of Tite Kubo. Thanks.

 

(Special Note: First portion refers to the past…second portion refers to current events. That is all.)

 

Whispers Ride the Wind

-*- Chapter 1-*-

 

 

“Hasn't anyone placed that child in a family? He's scaring my children here!”

 

“I heard he was chased off by his parents. Something about being a bad influence on the other child in the household.”

 

“That's nothing surprising…he's clearly marked as being cursed.”

 

Cursed…perhaps. After all he'd been through the last few weeks (more like his whole life), he'd have to admit that being under a curse could easily explain his situation. At least, it was easier to believe that `truth' than to accept reality. Reality was awfully harsh on him these days…

 

He often heard those hushed words or a variation of them. They were the more `polite' explanations of how he came to be in that part of the district, wandering alone in the wooded areas as he cautiously stared at the other children in their play from behind good-sized trees. He had made sure to only sit and stare, to do nothing else to attract attention.

 

He reached up and rubbed a sore, bloody spot on the back of his head. Wincing from the throbbing sting of his cut, he curled further into the trunk of the tree as he sat high on a thick branch, wary of the danger around him in the form of `harmless' adults and children. Yes, those same innocent faces of the local denizens were in fact the reason he was high up in this old tree. Apparently keeping a low profile was a naïve thought on his part…he was a beacon for trouble to follow wherever he went. And when pelted several times to the head from rather sharp rocks, he hurriedly moved on, the message clear to him that his presence was no longer tolerated in that area. Thus his current position high above the unforgiving world…

 

Tolerated. That's how it was explained to him by his `father'. He was tolerated for as long as it could be done, so said this `father' matter-of-factly. The sudden honesty didn't stop there though…the man kindly pointed out that his parental tolerance had come to an end, having known for quite some time about the secret nightly outings without supervision to scour the woods and river for food. And later that evening, having returned from finding meager pickings in a blueberry bush, he faced a locked house door. He could sense them inside, and even chanced a look to the window above that belonged to the bedroom he shared with his `sibling'. Hours of knocking and waiting, and not one member of his `family' ever came out.

 

He could have cried and begged and pleaded to be let in. That would have been logical considering his very young age. Perhaps his `family' was waiting for that…after all, he had never once spoken a single word. How absurd… Why speak when there's no one to listen, when the `parents' charged with his care barely gave a glance his way when they ran into him by chance, when a `sibling' forced to share his quarters with him was too scared to even touch him?

 

There was no tearful plea, no banging heavily on the door, no desperation even in the eyes… He had tightened his thin yukata around his small shoulders to ward off the chill of the night (ludicrous he now knew…it was damn cold that night and every night after that), and began his trek through the silent neighborhood. He never looked down nor looked back…pointedly ignoring the suspicious eyes and whispers of former neighbors. He just stared straight ahead…into the darkness…

 

- x -

 

An elegantly tweezed eyebrow twitched. Finely manicured nails tapped rhythmically against a black sleeve. One foot tapped the wooden floor impatiently. Her grin was tightly held though as she heard the ramblings of an eleventh division member, his rather vocal complaints similar to those from the other shinigami that came flooding in once they felt her captain's reiatsu gone from the premises. It was nothing short of a lynch mob, ready to gut her and hang her by her entrails…at least, that's what their eyes had conveyed to her, for once not immersed in lust for her soft, voluptuous physique. Lack of good sake would do that to grown men…especially those men going through withdrawal. Needless to say, she finally had to call in her fellow division members to hold back the irate crowd and send them on their way out of the tenth division compound. It might have been a little misleading to inform her squad's troops that the lynch mob was out to harass their captain, but…no harm, no foul.

 

“You know, Madarame, because you're my chum, I'll tell Taichou EVERYTHING you just said to me, so that he'll understand how important your needs as a `man' are,” remarked Matsumoto as she spun the angry man around and pushed him out the door. “Seriously, I didn't know you needed sake to make your head shine from miles away or to enhance your more carnal needs—”

 

Third Seat Madarame Ikkaku spun back around just as quickly, grabbing her shoulders to shake the sense of survival back into her. “DON'T MAKE FUN OF ME, MATSUMOTO—THIS IS A MAJOR CATASTROPHE HERE, RIGHT UP THERE WITH AIZEN'S TREASON! MY CAPTAIN'S READY TO PUMMEL YOUR DIVISION DOWN TO THE GROUND IF HE DOESN'T GET HIS DRINK DE-ICED…NOW!!!”

 

“Well, then there's no problem…he can drink the water or fruit juice that isn't iced over, right? Honestly, you're worrying too much…” she cooed calmly as she pushed his hands away.

 

“MATSUMOTO—”

 

“Ikkaku, really, your voice is starting to grate on my eardrums. Besides, if your arteries pop out anymore from your neck, I do believe you'll burst, ruining my clean uniform.” Grabbing the other man by his collar, Fifth Seat AyasegawaYumichika pulled Ikkaku back forcefully. “Now, what did I tell you about harassing our beautiful gem of Gotei 13? She's not to blame for the Ice Age of 2007. If you must go `bankai' on someone, try the little ice captain.”

 

“The KID?!”

 

Dragging the unwilling Ikkaku away, Yumichika glanced over to a very relieved Matsumoto, giving her the `you-owe-me-a-favor' wink. “Of course! He's tiny in experience and age and many other things compared to you…you have the upper hand, so stop being modest and go kick the snot out of the brat!”

 

“Why do I get the feeling you're using me as a sacrifice?” grumbled Ikkaku lowly.

 

“Hardly…” murmured Yumichika slyly. “If by some remote chance you get `iced' in the very literal sense, then I'll be sure to collect your winnings on last week's bets on behalf of your memory.”

“BASTARD—”

 

“Is this how you `TAKE CARE OF HIM', MADARAME?!”

 

All three shinigami turned to the burly man at the office door, nervously twitching their hands together. Yumichika was the first to respond somewhat sheepishly, “Taichou, pleasant greetings this fine even—'

 

“SHUT UP!!! MADARAME, WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING YOU SO LONG?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF IT, SO…WHERE THE HELL IS THE BRAT?!” The echoes of the Eleventh Division Captain reverberated against the sturdy oak walls of the office, the rice paper doors shaking in their hinges. Pointing his finger to Matsumoto, he growled, “Speak or PRAY!”

 

Smiling brilliantly, she clasped her hands and happily replied, “Oh my, Zaraki-taichou, whatever happened to Yachiru-chan…I was supposed to give her the reports for the next Shinigami's Womens' Association—”

 

“She's skating on MY SAKE!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE IS HE?!” he shouted.

 

Yumichika groaned upon hearing that. “Oh, pity that. And I was so sure those wards on the old sake barrels would hold out.”

 

“DAMN LITTLE FLEA! I told her to leave the damn barrels alone! I bet she ripped off the wards and spilled the sake all over the courtyard to make her damn ice rink like in that stupid picture book YOU bought her in the world of the living, Yumichika!” cried out Ikkaku as he tearfully recalled his best memories bottling up the good sake years ago to be consumed on special occasions. He abruptly turned on Matsumoto with a maniac's grin. “YOU!!! It was because of that time at the bar, RIGHT?! If you hadn't told us about his—GUH!”

 

“Please Ikkaku…your skin's turning to an ugly red. How unsightly…” Yumichika pulled Ikkaku back and away from Matsumoto once again, his friend slowly becoming insane with rage. It was bad enough he had his captain in that state of mind. And speaking of such a captain… “Taichou, don't fret! Let's go back to our division, and you just slip into a comfortable robe, and I'll wait on you with a nice bottle of grape juice—how does that sound?”

 

One swipe of his arm took care of Kenpachi's obstacles to get to Matsumoto, his two subordinates tumbling down the corridor. “GET THE HELL OUTTA MY WAY!”

 

Her smile never faltered. “My goodness, our office walls can't take much more of your strong voice, Zaraki-taichou! A man of your many talents shouldn't be wasting them here—”

 

“WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!”

 

“Zaraki-taichou…please refrain from further bellows. I could here you all the way from my division's gate!”

 

The melodious voice of her savior calmed her rapidly beating heart. She wasted no time using her shunpo to go around the behemoth that was her tormentor and hiding behind her savior. “Ukitake-taichou, I insist you stay for tea until Taichou returns! PLEASE!”

 

“UKITAKE, DON'T HIDE HER—”

 

“Zaraki-taichou, must I remind you that Yamamoto-Genryuusai's policy for the captains under ordinance 64, paragraph 45, subtext 12 explicitly states that `no division head is allowed to harass the officers of another division'?” asked Ukitake Jyuushiro mildly. “Would you like a copy of the policy?”

 

Eyeing the Thirteen Division captain with no less fury, Zaraki was highly tempted to draw his sword on the sickly, yet powerful man, if only to vent. Yet even in this agitated state, he knew better than to try it. If Ukitake got sick while fighting him, he'll not only have to face Unohana's `serene' reprimand, but also be disciplined by the General himself. Damn if it wasn't tempting still…

 

With a battle-cry yell, he punched a hole through the office wall and stomped out of the office. Dragging his two dazed subordinates by the collar of their clothes as he brushed by them to leave, he called out angrily, “You better tell your short captain that he has until sunrise to fix this mess before I hunt his little ass down for freezing it all. SUNSRISE!”

 

The cursing and heavy thumps of the Eleventh Division captain resounded down the hallways, even so far as to the gate of the Tenth Division compound. The heavy pressure of Zaraki's spiritual force finally dissipated enough for Matsumoto to breathe in deeply…and collapse to her knees behind Ukitake. “Oh man…I need a drink. A really, really nice, long drink…”

 

Looking down at her with sympathy, Ukitake patted her lowered head softly. “Now, mind telling me how you're involved in this latest fiasco, Lieutenant? Your Third Seat officer was very vague with the details… And where did Toushirou-kun run off to? He's usually here at his desk…”

 

She could only respond with a drawn out groan of despair. “Ukitake-taichou, I'm in really, REALLY big trouble.” She then suddenly bowed lowly to her savior. “Thank you so much for helping me with Zaraki-taichou. I never knew such an ordinance existed!”

 

Ukitake sheepishly grinned as he waved off her thanks. “Eh, hehe…actually, it's more like an unwritten rule of mine. But most of the other division heads follow the same concept, so that does make it sort of `policy'. Anyway, about this…incident…”

 

Yes, the `incident'…Matsumoto groaned loudly once again. `Forget death by a hollow or even on the battlefield against Aizen's army. My doom is near…and all because of my loose tongue…'

 

Smiling awkwardly, she started off. “Eh…well…it sort of started when I took one drink…then another…and a few more after that. It's very possible I had some more after that…I can't really recall…eheh.”

 

Ukitake merely shook his head and took a seat on the couch. `This will take a while…'

 

*-*

 

Author's quips (12-03-07):

 

Whew! Hear ye, hear ye. I'm still here…writing this up for your pleasures! Hopefully you're still willing to read this Bleach-novice's work!

 

We're getting a clearer picture of what this fic is about. I wanted to base my fanfic on strictly what the manga has provided us with on Hitsugaya, which isn't too much. I MAY include a few details from the anime, but not too much since I've not seen it all. Man, I had to flash read the whole manga up to current events in the latest chapter. Later on in my fic, I will allude to these current events, so the spoiler alert will not be raised (for now) until then. Everything I'm covering here is pure speculation on my part. I will especially try to steer away from the usual `formula' many have on this particular character…not that it'll be too different, just another way I'll be telling his story. I'd like to go for `uniqueness', but let's hold off judgment until the end of the fic! ~_^

 

I'm really a novice when it comes to honorifics and how they address each other in the manga. If you see reason to correct me, please do so by all means! If you believe I'm off-character with anyone, again, just raise your hand and send your concerns to me. I'll be happy to address them all!

 

I'll be returning to my ol' fanfic over at Furuba, so I'll be back to this one when I'm done with the Furuba chapter. I wish I had two heads, another set of hands…it'd make these updates go by faster! Sorry for the delay, really. I was just involved in an accident, drugged for pain, recuperating, then finishing the chapter for Furuba before moving on to this one. Talk about an active month!

 

Well…send me your thoughts on this chapter release. I await your response with oodles of joy. Thanks to all for reading, reviewing, and for placing me or my story in the alerts/fave lists! You are all stupendous!!! Ja ne!