Belonging

Ch.42 Train Your Heart Out

My breathing was becoming rigid as the training went on. Gripping the handle of my sword, I try to catch my breath.

"Don't stop now, Ms. Kurosaki."

I hear his voice from right behind. He swings his zanpakuto and I just barely was able to dodge it. I continue running while he simply walks, following me.

It's the night of day two. I'm currently running for my life at the moment. Kisuke and I have been training all day. His zanpakuto, with was disguised as his cane, is called Benihime. Ever since he said, "Awaken, Benihime", he's been trying to kill me.

I don't understand what he's trying to accomplish here. He just started to attack me. I can feel his murderous intent with each swing he does.

Hiding behind a large rock, I try to catch my breath.

He's totally different from Nagi. He's a lot more deadlier, that's for sure. But, he's way more scarier. How knew this foolish man had such a side to him.

"Scream, Benihime."

I watched as some kind of red energy cuts the large rock in half. Kisuke stood there, watching me. His zanpakuto's blade was glowing red before is slowly turns back to normal. That was the first time, all day, he actually used any type of power on me.

"Get ready, Emiko. If you're not careful... The next blast just might take your life."

"!"

I turn to dash out of there. However...

"To slow."

Kisuke had suddenly appeared in front of me. He did what Renji did to me back then.

"Teleporting, huh?" I question.

"No. What I just used right now is call Flash Step. It's a movement technique which allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow. It's one of the four basic combat skills for all soul reapers."

"How am I going to fight if they use that?"

"You can't."

"Geez, thanks."

Kisuke points the tip of his blade at my throat.

"..."

With a goofy smile, he pulls it away.

"Very good, Ms. Kurosaki. You passed my lesson."

"...What lesson? You just kept trying to kill me all day."

"Exactly. You were able to survive against me the entire day."

"Survive?"

"Yep. You don't have to fight soul reapers while you're in the Soul Society, you know. Just being able to defend yourself is more than enough to win against them. Besides, you just have to stay by Ichigo's side and give him aid once he needs it."

"But what if I can't find Ichigo right away? What if I'm attacked?"

"I won't let that happen."

I face Nagi as she walks up to us.

"You're...coming with me?"

"Hell, yeah! I'm going to be your guide. You can't fight soul reapers, but I can. I promise to get you to your brother and the others."

"..."

I face Kisuke.

"I'm going to die."

He chuckles as my remark pissingNagi off.

"Hey! I can beat some soul reapers! However, without my zanpakuto, I'm no match for any of the captains... Maybe even lieutenants. But if we just avoid them, we'll be fine."

"Captains? Lieutenants? What are you on about?"

"In the Soul Society there's the Gotei 13, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." Nagi explains. "Each squad has a extremely powerful captain and lieutenant. If we want to live, it's best that we avoid them entirely. Especially the captain of squad one...he's a monster."

Kisuke eyes Nagi's serious expression before continuing the explanation.

"The captain of squad one is actually the Head Captain. He's in charge of the other squads."

"He must be powerful."

"That he is, Ms. Kurosaki."

"He's also an old fool with no heart."

The two of us look in Nagi's direction. Her expression held some short of pain as she leaves us. Once she's out of the training room, I put my attention back on Kisuke.

"What's wrong with her?"

"...Nagi and the head captain have...a long history together. He's the one who stripped her of her title as Soul Reaper and confiscated her zanpakuto many years ago."

"Why would he do that? From what I can tell from our sparing, she is quite skilled with a sword."

"...It's because she killed a bunch of other soul reapers...and someone very close to him."

"..."

Nagi...kill? ...I'm having trouble believing that.

"Her crime was serious. So serious, it warranted her the punishment of death."

"She was sentence to death?"

"That's right. However, the night before her execution, she escaped to the World of the Living, this world. And she's been here ever since."

"..."

I never knew that. Nagi seems like a good, kind, foolish, head-strong type of person.

"...Does this new information change your feelings towards her now?"

"...No. She's always been there for me, even when I didn't ask for it. She's my...friend, no matter what. I don't care about her pass."

"Good. It's all a big misunderstanding any way."

"Is it now?"

He nods.

"...If it's a big misunderstanding then...she didn't-"

"Oh no, she did kill those people."

"..."

"But, at the time, it was against her will."

"I see... May I asked who this person she killed was?"

"Tomohiro Yamamoto... The Head Captain's only son."