Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Zanpaku-to? ❯ To Reality ( Chapter 12 )

Tite Kubo owns Bleach. I just borrowed the characters. Atonomatsuri is the creation of my fevered imagination.

Zaraki is out of his mind.

 

To Reality

 

“Ken-chan. Ken-chan. Are you awake yet Ken-chan? Come on. Wake up. I'm bored. You've been asleep for ages. It's time to wake up.”

 

He felt an insistent prodding of his leg. It hurt.

 

“Don't do that Yachiru. Captain Zaraki is not well. He needs time to recover. He will wake up soon I'm sure”, said a familiar voice.

 

Zaraki opened his eyes slowly, not sure what to expect.

 

He saw Retsu and Yachiru standing beside the bed he was lying in.

 

“Ken-chan. You're awake at last! I've waited and waited and waited. I tried to wake you, but she stopped me,” Yachiru pointed at Retsu in an accusing manner. “Anyway, you're awake. Yay! I was worried about you Ken-chan. What happened? You were breathing funny when we found you. What were you doing there? Who were you fighting? We couldn't find anyone. The door was locked. You looked like you had fought pretty hard. She says you were really badly injured. Where are your bells? Why were your clothes so ripped?” Yachiru continued to bombard Zaraki with words.

 

Zaraki did not bother trying to answer. Yachiru would become quiet, eventually, probably forgetting half the questions she asked.

 

He looked at Retsu who spoke quietly under Yachiru's chatter.

 

“We found some poison we can't identify in your blood. I've sent it to Captain Kurotsuchi, who is very interested. He wants to talk to you about it later, as he is having trouble synthesising it. It should have killed you. I can't work out why it didn't. So again, you're not dead. You'll be weak for a few hours. The toxin lingers in the blood far longer than most other poisons,” Retsu looked at Zaraki and then at the bandages that covered most of his body.

 

As if struck by an idea she looked at him with raised eyebrows questioningly and then glanced at his zanpaku-to which was near the bed.

 

Zaraki guessed what her question was. She was asking if he had talked to his zanpaku-to. He nodded.

 

Retsu's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at his bandaged form again. Then she opened her mouth to say something. Zaraki shook his head vehemently. Retsu caught the motion and nodded. She would wait until Yachiru had left.

 

“Are you two miming or something? I don't think you're very good at it. Maybe you should have lessons. Why aren't you answering my questions Ken-chan? I was worried about you,” Yachiru's voice quivered.

 

Zaraki looked at Yachiru. She did look worried.

 

He tried to talk, but his throat was dry. Retsu handed him a container of liquid and assisted him into a position where he could drink it. She was right, he did feel very weak.

 

“I'm sorry to have worried you, Yachiru,” he croaked closing his eyes.

 

Yachiru and Retsu exchanged shocked looks. Zaraki was apologising! Maybe the poison had affected his brain.

 

“Are you all right Ken-chan?” Yachiru's voice contained even more uncertainty. “Please talk to me.”

 

Without opening his eyes Zaraki asked, “How long was I missing? It must have been days.”

 

He again did not see the look that passed between Retsu and Yachiru. They were both puzzled.

 

“You weren't missing long at all. I was bored with Yumichika. He wouldn't let me do anything fun and then he locked me out of the office, so I followed you and Baldy followed me. A Hell butterfly came to me asking that you visit the old man. Baldy helped me break into the building you went into and you were all messed up and asleep. You were only there a few minutes. What happened?” Yachiru asked again.

 

Zaraki opened his eyes, astonished at the information.

 

“I must've been missing for hours, maybe days. You're joking aren't you? Tell me you're joking,” Zaraki replied.

 

“Yachiru's correct. You were found very soon after you entered the building. After you were brought here, all of 11th Company searched the building to look for your assailant or assailants. Some of them became a little too intent on the search and began to improvise. The new building should be completed in a few weeks,” Retsu said.

 

“What do you mean?” Zaraki asked.

 

“The building fell down after some people became a little too enthusiastic, looking for hidden passages,” said Retsu looking at Yachiru.

 

“I wasn't the only one,” Yachiru said defensively. “We didn't find any,” she told Zaraki, glumly.

 

“So who hurt you, Ken-chan? Are you going to destroy them? Can I watch?” Yachiru brightened at the thought.

 

“Let Captain Zaraki recover, Yachiru. He will need to make a full report to Captain General Yamamoto, in person, when he is well again. Now didn't you have to go to see the Captain-General to explain about the building collapse? I heard he was anxious to see you,” Retsu reminded Yachiru.

 

“Oops. I forgot. I was worried about Ken-chan and it slipped my mind. I better go, I suppose. Get better, Ken-chan. I'll be back soon,” said Yachiru as she skipped to the door.

 

Retsu waited until she was sure Yachiru was out of earshot and pulled a chair close to the bed. She looked at Zaraki who had again closed his eyes. He was frowning. If she was honest, Retsu felt guilty. It was on her advice that Zaraki had tried to talk to his zanpaku-to and it seemed that all the injuries were a direct result of that advice.

 

When he had been brought in, the amount of poison she found in his body scared her as did her lack of knowledge of how to treat it. She quickly formulated some anti-toxins and they seemed to help. Once she removed his eye patch, Zaraki improved markedly, and she still didn't understand that. The cuts, scratches and stab wounds were unlike anything she had seen before. A person or persons wielding something hard and very sharp had viciously attacked the Captain of the 11th Company and poisoned him, all in the space of a few minutes, probably while he was distracted by talking to his zanpaku-to. That really shocked her as she had rarely seen Zaraki bested in a fight. Thinking about his attackers, she felt uneasy that they might be loose in Seireitei. Unless he was attacked by his zanpaku-to. If that were true, then the problem was even more complex.

 

“Zaraki, do you want to talk? Just tell me if you're too tired. We can talk later, but I just want to know what happened. Zaraki?” Retsu asked.

 

There was no reply. Zaraki's eyes remained closed. Retsu noted the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.

 

“Oh, he's asleep, again. I should have guessed,” she said to herself. “I'll talk to him later, when he's feeling better. At least he recovers quickly in normal circumstances.”

 

After she left the room, Zaraki opened his eyes. He didn't want to talk about the experience. He knew Retsu would be sympathetic, but he did not want anyone's sympathy. The situation was too weird and embarrassing. How could he explain about Atonomatsuri and his fight with her? He considered what he could say. It was better to keep it secret for now. He tried to get out of the bed but felt too weak. Damn that vulture and her poison!

 

He lay there a few minutes wondering if he could or would trust anyone with the truth.

 

“A secret shared between three people is only safe when two of them are dead,” a loathsomely familiar voice said in his mind.

 

Zaraki shut his eyes in disgust.

 

“Shut up. If you talk to me I won't summon you. Leave me alone,” he said aloud as Isane entered the room with a jug of water.

 

“Sorry, Captain,” she said and began to leave the room.

 

“I don't mean you”, Zaraki snapped. “I'm just thinking aloud.”

 

Isane placed the water on the table near the bed looking slightly nervous.

 

“You have some visitors, if you want to see them,” she told Zaraki.

 

Zaraki scowled and shook his head. He didn't want to hear any more chatter. He'd heard enough from Atonomatsuri to last for any number of days.

 

Isane smiled politely and left the room.

 

Zaraki heard Atonomatsuri sniggering in his mind

 

“I told you to shut up and leave me alone,” yelled Zaraki, anger giving him the strength to sit up.

 

As he was yelling the last word he noticed Iemura hesitating at the door.

 

“What do you want? I'm in a bad mood,” Zaraki growled.

 

Iemura smiled unconvincingly. “My captain wanted to know if you had a headache. She sent a remedy for it,” he explained quickly.

 

“Thank your captain for me. I don't have a headache, yet, but I think I will soon. Can I just be left alone?” Zaraki barked.

 

Iemura put the medicine next to the water and left the room as quickly as he could without running.

 

Atonomatsuri was now laughing.

 

“Get out of my mind, you festering corpse,” Zaraki muttered. “I swear I won't summon you. Leave me alone. I need to think.”

 

“Thinking is the essence of wisdom. Have fun, Kenny,” Atonomatsuri said.

 

“Damn! Damn! Blood! Damn! Blast!” exploded Zaraki as Retsu entered the room.

 

“I see you're awake again, Zaraki,” she commented dryly. “That was a short sleep. Iemura was shaking when he returned from giving you the medicine. What's going on?”

 

Anger made Zaraki reckless. “Her name is Atonomatsuri. I loathe her. She's a weird decomposing pink and black vulture with a vicious poisoned tongue who constantly uses adages. She kept me trapped in my mind for what seemed like days, constantly talking, insulting, goading and annoying me. I tried to kill her, but failed. She expects me to trust her! She poisoned me twice.” Zaraki was almost panting with outrage.

 

“Calm down, Zaraki. I have no idea what that poison could do if you become overexcited,” Retsu said sharply.

 

Stunned at her tone Zaraki took a deep breath and rubbed his face.

 

“So, it was harder than you expected. Are you going to give up?” Retsu asked calmly.

 

“No, blast it. I promised that I would summon her. I want to get stronger. I just want her out of my mind,” he groaned.

 

“I see. It's good that you can talk to her directly,” Retsu observed.

 

“No it isn't. She taunts me, laughs at me in my mind. The number of times she lied to me,” Zaraki suppressed a shudder at the memory.

 

“I see. I can't really help you with that. You do need to build up trust with her. The sooner you start training with her, the better. I'm going to keep you in overnight for observation. I told Captain Kurotsuchi to go away and he wasn't very happy. He was insisting that he should be allowed to see you. I know you don't want to see him now,” Retsu remarked.

 

“Or ever,” muttered Zaraki.

 

Retsu laughed. “You were never the best of friends,” she observed.

 

“Better to have that guy as an enemy. Thanks for telling him to go away. I'd probably try to kill him if I saw his stupid face right now.”

 

“You've had a few other visitors. Most of your company have called insisting they see you. I sent a messenger to Madarame and he is handling that. I sent Yachiru away just now. She was a little overexcited by her visit to the Captain-General. As your doctor, I thought she would not be very good company and told her so. I'm not very popular with her at the moment. She called me an old bag, or maybe it was hag. Then she said something about rhubarb and ran off. I think she's given me a new nickname.”

 

Zaraki winced. “Yachiru hates rhubarb even though she likes the colour. Says it's a waste of garden space. If she's given you that nickname...,” he paused. “Buy her a big bag of Konpeito. That might influence her to give you another nickname. Hell, if it's large enough you will be her favourite person until she's eaten it all.”

 

Retsu smiled. “I'll do that. I don't like rhubarb much myself. What about you?”

 

Zaraki shrugged. “I don't care either way. I don't like sweet things.”

 

“Did all your wounds come from Atonomatsuri,” Retsu asked concern in her voice.

 

Zaraki dropped his eyes and examined his fingernails. He didn't wish to reply

 

“If they did she must be a pretty formidable opponent. Better to have her help you than fight against you,” she advised quietly.

 

“I know you're right,” Zaraki replied still examining his fingernails. “It's something I have to think about. All this thinking. Urgh.”

 

“Are you hungry? Do you want some food?” asked Retsu.

 

Zaraki brightened. “Yeah. I am pretty hungry. Some sake would be nice too,” he suggested slyly.

 

“No sake. Water is better for you right now.”

 

Retsu poured a glass and handed it him.

 

“Any food in particular?” Retsu inquired.

 

“Anything but natto,” he grinned suddenly. “And no rhubarb.”

 

Chuckling at his last comment, Retsu left the room.

 

Tentatively Zaraki touched his leg where the poison barb has stabbed him the last time. It was painful. He looked at the bandages that covered most of his body.

 

“Retsu's right. The weird bird is a tough opponent. But I'm tougher. I wonder what would have happened if I had cut off her wing? Probably best I didn't.”

 

He looked around the room enjoying the ordered calm. Much better than the place he had been trapped. No evidence of destruction. The bed was comfortable. No inexplicable winds or confusing explanations. He leant back, letting his muscles relax. It was good to be back in Seireitei, or had he really left? As he was in his mind and his body was in Seireitei obviously he had never left. Or had he? Damned philosophical questions.

 

Briefly his mind wandered to Tosen. “He liked discussing philosophy. Constantly talking about Nietzsche. Some screwy idea about a superman. And who was that other guy Michia? Macaroni? Some guy who wrote about a king or something. Probably another reason we didn't get on. Why discuss ideas of dead guys when you can fight? Fighting Tosen was a bit of a challenge, made me think a little in order to defeat him, but still, I didn't have to remove my eye patch. It doesn't count as a real challenge until I need that extra power. Probably Atonomatsuri liked it when I fought Tosen, the thinking and all. Hell, she probably likes Tosen better than me.”

 

Zaraki grimaced briefly as he remembered the hatred he felt from Tosen, though, of course, Tosen denied it.

 

“Kept going on and on about honour and how he was going to rid the world of a monster when he killed me, or some such crap. Once I worked out his moves, he was no opponent, even when he used bankai. All that talk about honour, and how honourable was he? Wonder if he'd be more of a challenge now?”

 

Zaraki mused about fighting an Arrancar for a few minutes, confirming his belief that he needed to work with Atonomatsuri.

 

His mind wandered until he remembered how he'd deliberately goaded the other captains”, trying to get them to invoke their bankai. He'd been interested ever since he'd been defeated by Ichigo. Would bankai help him grow stronger? Some of the bankai's he'd seen seemed like cheating. Not that he could even think about bankai yet. He still had to work out how to use the little information he'd actually managed to obtain from Atonomatsuri.

 

“Getting information from Atonomatsuri is like getting….NO! I will not use an adage. It's hard to get that fetid creature to tell the truth. Even when I was about to cut off her wing, I'm sure she didn't tell me the whole truth. Then there was all that crap about my bells and the number 11. What have they got to do with anything? Maybe she was trying to distract me from asking the real questions. It wouldn't surprise me. The real questions. There must be real questions. I'll have to try to get her in a position where she has to answer truthfully. What is the too late power? Will I learn to use it now, or do I have to wait until bankai? Why yawn? Why does the release have to be the word yawn?” Zaraki automatically yawned.

 

Carrying a tray, Retsu entered the room.

 

“I hope you're not too tired to eat, Zaraki. I've brought my meal as well. I thought we could eat together,” she said pleasantly as she placed the tray in front of Zaraki.

 

“Not tired, just thinking,” he said spearing a piece of asparagus and eating it. “This is good. I didn't realise I was so hungry.”

 

“Thank you. I made it because I was hungry and thought you might enjoy some of my favourites. I hope you like stir-fry pork,” Retsu replied, seating herself close to the bed.

 

“And noodles and rice balls,” said Zaraki happily inspecting the contents of the tray.

 

“I remembered that you enjoyed the rice balls the last time you visited,” she replied, stealing one.

 

“Hey, they're supposed to be for the patient, not the doctor,” Zaraki joked.

 

Retsu stopped eating in surprise. “Did you make a joke, Zaraki?”

 

Zaraki flushed. “Yeah, suppose I did. It just feels so good to be here and not trapped with that pain in the neck.” He ate quickly wondering why he was so hungry.

 

Retsu commenced eating again.

 

“Has your zanpaku-to ever taken you into your mind,” Zaraki asked tentatively after they had eaten in silence for a few minutes.

 

“Only once. I think I was there for a short time,” Retsu replied. She concentrated, trying to remember. “It was a long time ago. I just remember realising that my mind was like another world.”

 

“Another world. I suppose you could say that,” Zaraki muttered.

 

“Another world of destruction,” he thought. “I suppose other people's minds are paradise compared to mine. I wonder if Atonomatsuri caused some of the destruction. Why am I even thinking about this,” Zaraki thought.

 

“What was your mind like, Zaraki?”

 

“Do you want to steal another rice ball, Captain Unohana?”

 

She looked at him, bemused by his response. Zaraki was frowning, his eyes intent on his food, but he had stopped eating.

 

“I take it that you don't want to talk about it then. It must have been pretty bad,” Retsu said curiously,

 

Zaraki shrugged and started eating again.

 

“I'm sorry Zaraki. I'm sorry that my advice has caused you this trouble,” Retsu said quietly. “I had hoped to assist you…”

 

“You did help me, Retsu,” Zaraki interrupted. “You didn't know. I'm grateful for your help. I'm alive. I know my zanpaku-to's name which was problem I came to see you about. Still sure there's no one you want me to kill?” Zaraki joked.

 

“Yes, I'm sure,” she smiled at him.

 

The finished their meal in companionable silence each busy with their thoughts.

 

Zaraki ate all the food on the tray. He wasn't full, but that didn't worry him. Feeling tired he yawned again.

 

“I think you better sleep Zaraki. You're yawning again,” Retsu commented.

 

“Thanks for the meal Retsu. I am tired. I didn't know you could cook,” Zaraki said stifling another yawn.

 

Retsu took the tray and left the room, turning out the light as she left.

 

Zaraki fell asleep and dreamt….

 

He dreamt he was back in his mind with Atonomatsuri. She looked at him and gestured with her beak for him to look around.

 

What he saw surprised him. While the ground was still covered with debris he could see a number of objects that looked whole. He looked at the sky which had at least one whole sun on the verge of turning dwarf, but it was whole and providing a sort of red light. The wind blew his hair across his face.

 

“What does this mean, Atonomatsuri,” Zaraki asked.

 

She shook her head and did not answer. She seemed to be moving further away from him without actually moving. His mind was drifting out from under his feet.

 

The next minute Zaraki dreamt he was fighting Tosen again. Tosen was saying “Success is measured by actions, not by words. Words can explain actions, but actions do not explain words.”

 

“Stop talking crap,” yelled Zaraki as his zanpaku-to slipped past Tosen's guard and embedded itself in his chest.

 

“Your actions have not defeated me. I have won,” Tosen said as he crumbled into ash.

 

Zaraki awoke with a start. He was sweating and though he did not want to admit it, the dream had disturbed him. For a hellish minute he thought he was again trapped in his mind while the Winds of Change blew.

 

The dream about Tosen he shrugged off. Probably the result of thinking about the guy earlier.

 

He sat up and looked around, reluctant to return to sleep so soon. He was no longer tired. The room was quiet and it was still dark outside. The sickle moon was visible through the window. The sheets rustled loudly as Zaraki shifted.

 

He felt better, not so weak. He watched the moon move across the sky, grateful to see it after observing the decaying sky in his mind.

 

Did the dream mean his mind was slowly repairing itself because he was thinking? Why didn't Atonomatsuri speak? That was the real shock. The bird kept her beak shut for once. Not one adage. It made him almost think kindly of her, almost, but not quite.

 

He felt a presence at the door and looked. Retsu was standing there.

 

“I thought I heard someone call out. I've checked the only other patient. She was still asleep,” Retsu said as she walked into the room. “Are you in pain? Do you need medicine?”

 

Zaraki shook his head. “No, just some bad dreams. I don't normally have them.”

 

“It could be the poison working its way through your system,” she suggested. “Do you…” she began and stopped.

 

“What is it Retsu?” Zaraki sighed.

 

“Do you think you could obtain a fresh sample of the poison? I'm really interested in it and I don't see why Kurotsuchi should have the monopoly on research. I have a feeling it suppresses the reiatsu which could be useful.”

 

“It does, or so I was told,” Zaraki replied reluctantly.

 

“I thought so! I said earlier that I noticed you improved once I took off your eye patch. Do you know anything else about it? I'm really interested,” Retsu said eagerly.

 

“And so am I,” said Kurotsuchi emerging from the wall and turning on the light.

 

Retsu and Zaraki stared at Kurotsuchi.

 

“How the hell did you get in here?” Zaraki said angrily.

 

“I have my ways,” said Kurotsuchi smoothly.

 

“Get out the same way,” Zaraki growled.

 

“You're still weak from the poison. If the world were fair you would be dead. You don't scare me. I want to know more about the poison and the source of the poison. I'll dissect and squeeze the truth out of that source once I get my hands on it. I will make it give up all its secrets,” Kurotsuchi imagined aloud.

 

Thinking about Kurotsuchi trying to get the better of Atonomatsuri made Zaraki laugh.

 

“You have no idea,” Zaraki said laughing. “There'd be no contest. If you tried anything you'd be poisoned or insulted to an inch of your life. You can't learn everything from destruction of another being.”

 

Realising what he said made Zaraki pause. Was he getting soft? Where did that garbage come from?

 

“So, you do know the source of the poison,” Kurotsuchi said moving closer to Zaraki.

 

Kurotsuchi extended his hand to grasp Zaraki's wrist. “Now tell me all Zaraki. I want to know.”

 

Zaraki watched amused as Kurotsuchi tried to exert control over him.

 

Retsu quietly slipped out of the room knowing that Zaraki had all of Kurotsuchi's attention.

 

“I didn't know you were like that Kurotsuchi. Wanting to hold hands with a fellow captain,” Zaraki easily pulled his wrist free. “Sorry, you just don't appeal to me. You chose the wrong captain. Hell, I think you chose the wrong species,” Zaraki said grinning at the look of incredulous outrage that spread across Kurotsuchi's face.

 

“That insult will not go unpunished, Zaraki,” Kurotsuchi shrilled.

 

His voice was quickly cut off as one of Zaraki's large hands gripped him by the throat.

 

“You like to prey on the weak and powerless, don't you Kurotsuchi? God, you're scum. You hoped the poison would weaken me enough so you could overpower me.” Zaraki said to the choking captain. “You're not a decent challenge even when I'm not at my usual strength. If I find you've been sniffing around 11th Division, I'll take great pleasure in cutting you. Now get out and leave me alone.”

 

Zaraki flung Kurotsuchi away. Retsu appeared at the door with Ayasegawa and Hanatoro all holding unsheathed zanpaku-to's.

 

“I see you already took care of the little problem,” fluted Ayasegawa throwing a disgusted look at Kurotsuchi.

 

“Get this waste of air out of here,” Zaraki commanded Ayasegawa.

 

“Should I take him back to 11th Division and let them play with him? I know Madarame would like to fight this person,” Ayasegawa suggested playfully.

 

“No, just kick him out of here. He is a captain, after all, but a poor excuse for a Shinigami. Retsu could you witness that I was not unprovoked. I don't want him complaining to the Captain-General about unfair treatment,” Zaraki requested.

 

“Happy to do so, Zaraki. I don't like it when my patients are disturbed by unwanted intruders,” Retsu replied. “Especially when they threaten my patients. I think I might complain to the Captain-General about this matter. You have done this one too many times, Captain Kurotsuchi. I can remember a number of incidents….”

 

“You have no cause for complaint, Unohana. I have caused no trouble for your division…” Kurotsuchi began but was abruptly cut off when Ayasegawa seized him.

 

“I know how he managed to get in,” said Hanatoro as he assisted Ayasegawa in restraining Kurotsuchi. “He brought in a member of his division who was suffering from poisoning. It seemed very similar to the poison we found in Captain Zaraki. It was nearly a lethal dose. While I was attending to her, Captain Kurotsuchi disappeared. I thought it strange but I was too concerned about the poison.”

 

“A coincidence?” asked Retsu. “I don't think so. Please remove Captain Kurotsuchi and make certain he does not return.”

 

Hanatoro and Ayasegawa “encouraged” Kurotsuchi to leave the room, while Kurotsuchi complained all the while about the treatment he was receiving.

 

“I'm sorry Zaraki. I should have known he'd sneak in here some way,” Retsu said.

 

“I can take care of myself. It would have been good to cut that scum. Maybe later. No need to apologise. It livened up my stay here,” Zaraki grinned.

 

Laughing at his attitude Retsu said, “I'm never sure how you're going to react, Zaraki. You're always thinking about the next fight but sometimes you are very insightful. It's nice to talk to someone not intent on playing mind games.”

 

Zaraki immediately thought of Atonomatsuri and the mind games she had made him play.

 

“I hate bloody mind games. Always some crappy agenda that you don't know about. No one really wins. It's better to fight openly. That way you know who wins and who is defeated.”

 

Zaraki stretched.

 

“Do you want company, or do you wish to sleep?” Retsu asked.

 

“I'm not really tired anymore and I'd like some company. Do you have a pack of cards? Talking about mind games made me feel like playing something and as you won't let me drink sake that means drinking games are off the list. I'd like a game of something,” Zaraki suggested.

 

“I have cards, but the only games I know require more than 2 players. I think Hanatoro and Yumichika may be keeping watch to make sure that Kurotsuchi does not try to return. Yumichika wanted to stay on guard outside your room earlier, but I thought you would be safe in Seireitei. I don't like to be proved wrong. I do have a chess set, or we could play backgammon,” Retsu suggested.

 

“Backgammon, then,” Zaraki decided. “I don't feel up to chess tonight.”

 

Retsu found her backgammon board and they commenced playing.

 

Retsu was very good. She beat Zaraki the first two games.

 

“Who taught you to play?” Zaraki asked curiously at the end of the second match.

 

“No one person. I often play backgammon. I've taught all the seats in my division. When I feel tense I usually have a game to try to relax. You're not bad, either. My luck has been with me tonight and I've managed to throw the numbers I need,” Retsu replied.

 

“One more game?” Zaraki suggested.

 

Retsu smiled at him. “Eager for more punishment? I didn't take you for a masochist, Zaraki.”

 

“I think I've worked out your strategy. Just want to see if I'm right.”

 

The next game was much closer with Retsu winning by a single counter.

 

Zaraki grinned.

 

“Why are you smiling? You lost.”

 

“But I've worked out your strategy. Next time I'll beat you,” Zaraki looked toward the window. “I didn't notice it was morning.”

 

Retsu looked at the window. “Do you want breakfast?”

 

Before Zaraki could reply, Iemura entered the room with a tray containing what appeared to be breakfast for two.

 

“You read my mind,” Retsu told him.

 

Iemura gave her a stiff smile, and with a worried look at Zaraki hurriedly left the room.

 

Zaraki and Retsu chatted about backgammon and cards as they ate.

 

“You can leave today, anytime, Zaraki. I know you were going to ask. I think you have recovered enough,” Retsu said when they were finished. “I'll have a new shihakusho and your old Captain's coat brought to you. I wonder how your coat remained intact.”

 

“I won't let it be destroyed. Thanks. I want to get back and see if my division have destroyed any other buildings,” Zaraki said half seriously.

 

“I'm sure they're only following the example of their captain,” Retsu suggested leaving the room, carrying the tray.

 

“Very cutting, Retsu,” Zaraki said with a slight grimace. “Thanks again, for everything.”

 

After his new shihakusho and coat were brought to him by a nervous Iemura, Zaraki quickly dressed and went to find Ayasegawa.

 

“Let's go,” he said to his 5th seat who was admiring his reflection.

 

“Maybe I'll try to summon Atonomatsuri today,” he thought as he left the building followed by Ayasegawa. “Maybe not.”

 

 

Author'sNote

The gag I put on Atonomatsuri must have worked. It's not an easy thing to gag a decaying vulture. I thought Zaraki needed a break.

Sorry to disappoint anyone who is hoping for romance in this story. Maybe the potential is there, but some of the other stories I write are romantic (not forgetting the angst). This story is a romance free zone.

I may write a romance featuring Zaraki and Retsu later. No promises. It's on my list.

I would also like to thank all the people who have reviewed this story for their continuing support and interesting suggestions. I try to use them, but some just don't fit in with my plans.

Please review.

 

MS