Tell Me Your Story [Henrex, Hiroe]

When it came to his students, there was little that he missed. One in particular, Hiroe Miyashiro. Generally, he tried to remain unbiased and neutral with his students, doing his best to not show favoritism. But, with some, that was far harder. He had taken a liking to Hiroe, a girl of humble beginnings wanting to rise to the top and do her mentor proud.

But, lately, he had noticed that the light she exuded, the infectious positivity that she always seemed to carry had dimmed. She participated in the exercises and still did well enough with her courses, but the fire that had been there before had died into embers, desperately trying to stay alive in such heartache. He could sense that something was wrong, knowing that something had happened and she was afraid and crestfallen.

It was not something he could ignore. So, as his classes concluded for the day, he kept an eye on Hiroe as she was moving to exit the classroom. In true Stealth Force fashion, he came up to her without a sound, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. Not a hint of anger or annoyance, merely a gentle hand, with an equally gentle voice.

"Hiroe, I'd like to talk with you. Walk with me."

When did this routine become so insufferable? She recalled a time when she regarded every single class with the unrestrained zeal of a madman. She was more ambitious then. Her soul was a radiant flame that ignited the spirits of those peers who found themselves drawn towards her. Yet, a radiant flame no longer existed here. Now, she may as well have been little more than a fading spark, her flame extinguished by a definining moment that has supplanted a firm position in her heart.

Hiroe rose from her chair the moment the stealth division captain's class ended, walking towards the door with the intent of returning to her home in the Rukongai to sleep the day away. Of course, the moment she attempted to do so, HIroe would unexpectedly feel a hand touching her shoulder. She hadn't even heard a single set of footsteps approaching her, but the familiar timber allowed her to conclude that this was her teacher - Henrex Astillion. The gentle hand and voice were welcoming, robbing her of any particular tension she might have felt at the prospect of talking to her teacher in private. Flashing a warm, albeit forced smile, Hiroe turned towards him, nodding assent.

"Of course, teacher. Where would you like to walk?"

Ah, it was never good to see that. He could tell that she was forcing her smile, but, he made no note of it for now. Rather, he gently guided her out the door, hand on her shoulder as he led her through the academy grounds. He smiled, gently patting her on the head as they walked.

"Nowhere too special, just one of the training grounds. Getting some fresh air does wonders for clearing your head and letting your worries wash away."

The two made their way through the grounds, with Henrex waving lightly to a few of the students and teachers that passed them by. He didn't say anything just yet -- it wasn't a conversation to have within earshot of any peers. It was a private matter, one that needed to be handled delicately, and the subject matter of such was something that he knew all too well.

The two eventually arrived in one of the empty training grounds, and Henrex quietly gestured for her to sit down next to him. The gentle breeze lightly rustled his clothes and hair, though still, no sound was made. There was, however, a gentle crinkle of some kind of wrapper as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small ball of matcha mochi. Opening and unsealing the wrapping, he offered the small sweet to her, opening one for himself as well.

"I've grown a little concerned with how...crestfallen you've seemed in my classes. Did something happen?"

In spite of the concern and serious subject matter, there was still a gentle timber to his voice, like a father wanting to comfort his child. Hiroe likely knew that he could discern when someone was lying to him, though she wouldn't know how. Even with that, he simply, gently inquired of his student's dip in performance. He wanted everyone who took his classes to succeed.

"Remember, I will not judge you, no matter what you tell me. I just want to see you succeed. What is said between us, stays between us, unless you want to speak of it to others."

Hiroe nodded respectfully, walking beside her teacher as they traversed the academy, arriving at empty training grounds within a few moments. Hiroe couldn't help but hate how terrible she was at hiding her emotions. It made these sorts of interventions especially difficult. Kaito had tried his best to get through to her, and she coldly kept him at an arm's length about her personal matters. Ajora was an exception to the rule in that... she would've kept pressing her or investigated the matter until she discovered something.

She had closure with Kimitsuki to some degree, but she never decidedly came to a conclusion on her ambitions moving forward. If anything, she was no closer to a conclusion now than she was at the outset. As she sat down beside him, accepting the Macha Mochi, Hiroe listened to him in silence, expecting that dreadfully inevitable question. Voicing his concern, confirming her conjecture, a soft sigh flowed from the woman's lips as she leaned back.

There it was. It was obvious, and many of her peers had posed similar questions but this was the stealth division captain's inquiry. She didn't know him personally, but she knew of his history at least, knew he wasn't a man so easily fooled. If she refused to answer, he'd unquestionably be the type to look into the matter until he found his answers. Of course, in so doing, that would inevitably lead toward Kimitsuki and HIroi, who according to the Danava of Fire, was no longer the ineffably fearsome monstrosity that shook her to the core. Turning toward him, she chewed at the candy softly.

"I'll gladly tell you what happened, but please promise me you won't approach the two that were involved. They've been through enough. If you can promise me that, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

With that one sigh and the feeling of dread he could sense in her, he knew that she had been through this before. She knew that he was the Stealth Force Captain again and that he had the methods, resources, and ability to look into the situation until he found the truth.

As Hiroe caved, turning toward him and idly chewing at the soft, doughy treat, she gave him a condition -- that he not approach those involved, to let the situation die out. He could tell that she, at least initially, wanted to lie to him. But, assumedly, she realized that there would be little getting past him.

"Of course. I promise, I won't approach whoever was involved. What is said here will solely be between us, unless you want to speak of it to someone else."

He had every intention of upholding that promise -- after all, when it was something affecting his student to such an extent, it was just the right thing to do. Quietly turning to face her, his hands idly folding in his lap, he gave her a light gesture, letting her know that she had his attention and had the floor to speak whenever she wished.

"Whenever you're ready, Hiroe."

After he voiced his intent to maintain absolute anonymity, Hiroe set the doughy treat in her lap, gathering the will to recount her experience to the best of her ability. Even a mere reflection was difficult to endure. A memory that withered away at her spirits, at her precious sense of self-worth. She had accumulated so much courage, and now she felt little more than a husk of the dreamer who passionately pursued her training with a unrestrained vigor. Even so, for Kimitsuki's sake, even if it was little more than a modicum of courage, Hiroe would tell him all he desired to know about the event. Truth be told, she felt she'd already hurt her enough. To invite more trouble at her doorstep would only drag her spirits into the void even further.

"Well... where do I start? My day started off on a good note. I'd gotten a break from the academy that day, my parents were away, and I intended to make the best of it. Go shopping, sneak into the Seireitei, enjoy myself... that's all I really wanted to do. I sincerely wish that's all I had gotten to do, but..."

Hiroe pursed her lips, trailing off while her eyes wandered aimlessly to the sky. The next part was always the most difficult, where she struggled to make sense of it all, where she struggled to acknowledge that she had experienced what the possibility of death had felt like. Frightening. Soul-rending. A fiercely horrific thought weighing down on her spirit like an anchor, an obstacle with no escape. Shaking her head, she continued, her eyes downcast.

"Hiroi... barged into my house. At first, I thought little of it outside of being agitated, and a little startled. She'd broken my door down... When she entered and we engaged, she kept asking for Kimitsuki. Me and Kimitsuki had only met days ago, and she never told me she was watching over a Danava."

The despondency in her voice grew palpable now, her fingers trembling at the final moments of her recollected thoughts.

"I asked her what her connection was, and she refused to tell me. I wanted to know who she was, to protect Kimitsuki from someone I felt was an absolute stranger. And then she told me I was pathetic for a Shinigami. A stranger. Needless to say, my pride was wounded, and I told her that she was a horrible friend for threatening me. I held my blade at my side, told her to leave my home. I thought that would be the end of it, but..."

She turned towards him with a defeated expression, a pair of dim golden eyes that spoke to the shame that crushed her soul. Eyes that told a thousand tales. Eyes that seemed to truly believe Hiroi's words.

"She showed me what it felt like to stand face to face with death. Her body turned into some horrific form and shape, countless voices rang through my head, demanding that I be devoured... and what did I do? I proved her right. I broke down... on my knees... like a coward. Crying, praying, begging for someone to save me," she chuckled, as if the thought sounded preposterous. She spoke a fine game, but when it all came to it, Hiroe's response to her killing intent was so shameful as to be comical.

"Some defining act that was. Heh, what a joke... I'm not cut out for this. I should probably drop out and do what I was always meant to do... sell clothes."

He knew that recounting something that troubled someone so deeply was never an easy task. To approach this was to be patient, caring, and understanding. The Stealth Force Captain gently placed a hand on her shoulder, a warm smile that encouraged her to speak emerging as he waited in silence.

As she began to recount the situation, he continued waiting, returning his hands to his lap. Ah, even nowadays, there was the mischievous nature of youth. He couldn't help but give a rather fond smile as he remembered his own early days in the academy, wanting to do exactly that. But, as he sensed the hesitance and fear beginning to boil in her heart, his hand returned to her shoulder.

"Take your time, we have all afternoon."

Simple, but hopefully reassuring words as she continued. As she made note that someone by the name of Hiroi had barged into her home, his head canted lightly to the side in confusion. He was aware that Kimitsuki had become a teacher in Shin'o Academy at the Head Captain's request, but he hadn't been aware that she was housing and caring for another Danava.

Normally he would have made a note to ask about that when he had the chance -- but, he would stay true to his word. He wouldn't so much as make a whisper of the subject to her. His lips were sealed. As she told him that she had drew her sword, tried to stand up for herself and force the Danava out, he had a horrible feeling of dread well up in his heart. As she turned to face him, seeing that look of defeat, hearing her story of how she felt powerless, helpless in the face of such an opponent -- it was something he could relate to all too well.

"No. The fact that you were admitted into the academy in the first place shows that you are capable."

His hand gently wrapped around her, pulling the woman into a gentle, warm embrace.

"I had many similar experiences in my own early days as a Shinigami."

Letting the woman go, he gave a sheepish smile. How long ago, this memory and story was, back when he was a fledgling Shinigami, fresh from the academy.

"Before I became the Captain of the Stealth Force, I was just like you. A determined young man wanting to throw myself at everything I could to become stronger. I can't quite remember what position I was, but I know that I was far from the man I am now. Back then, I didn't even have a Shikai yet."

His scarlet eyes glistened wistfully in the afternoon sun as he looked to her, his warm smile fading at the unpleasant memory.

"A man came into the Soul Society, wanting to test the mettle of the Gotei, to see how strong we were. I wanted to prove myself, I wanted to show that I could be of use, to help expunge this invader. But...I, too, was faced with an overwhelming force of might. I knew that I would die if I tried to fight them, and, so...I ran away. I ran as fast as I could, hoping, praying, begging that he didn't decide to chase me."

He could recall that fear that encroached on his heart as if it had just been yesterday.

"I, too, felt like a failure. I felt pathetic, powerless, and alone. In my fear of death, I turned into a coward."

Once again, a hand gently rested against her shoulder.

"We will face death more times than we can count, that is just how the world is. It is a beautiful, but also dangerous and unforgiving place, no matter the realm. Many feel afraid, it's only natural to when faced with such a powerful opponent. You're not wrong to have felt afraid, but it's what you do after that matters. You're still alive, and you can still get stronger. One misstep does not need to be enough to shake you from the mountain road."

The warm reassurance in his timbre, coupled with gentle embrace, rendered Hiroe speechless. For a moment, in a timeframe so infinitesimal that it could easily go unnoticed, a small tear dribbled down her cheek. She felt herself unworthy of reassuring words. In her isolation, she had deflected all manners of praise, viewing them as falsities now. Yet, he bluntly stated that she was capable, holding her as a parent would to a child.

Conflict arose within her spirit, sullying the moment she felt acknowledged by a man of superior skill and technique. Why couldn't she simply move past it? Kimitsuki had reassured her that such an event would never come to pass again, that Hiroi had undergone a significant change from the monstrosity that shook her to the core. So, why? Why was it still difficult to move past that one moment? Was it a matter of pride? Shame? Fear? In spite of so many encouraging words and beliefs, her will remained elusive.

Reason assured her that, to some degree, with enough work and dedication, that she was capable of great things. Doubt reminded her that no real warrior would crumble in the face of death. Yet, the Stealth Division Captain thought otherwise. Each word that danced from his lips, his own tale of a time where he was a lesser warrior and ran away from a threat beyond station, drawing her in as she regarded him with an incredulous gaze. The dignified man who sat beside her, from her perspective, was the very image of a storied warrior. He hardly struck her as someone who would run away in the face of battle, and yet, he admitted, in the far distant past, he had did just that. He ran from a threat of immense power, yet here he was, sitting beside her now. A Captain. An instructor. A legend. Surely, if he could defy his own fate... if he could overcome his own fear.. then there truly was no excuse to run from her dream. Kimitsuki had told her to stand bravely in the face of death. Henrex had told her that she would face it countless times. No matter, it was an unavoidable truth. An inevitable conclusion.



She feared death. She feared the thought of no longer existing among these people. The smiling faces. The encouraging words. Rindou. Ajora. Kaito. Kimitsuki. Henrex. Hana... all of them. Death was frightening. Death was final. How could these warriors be so calm when they spoke of the end? Was she merely a coward or was there one crucial factor that remained elusive. Her mind remained clouded by doubt. As he finished his tale and offered his words, Hiroe gazed towards the ground as she squeezed her hands, posing a question in response.

"What can I do now? I've isolated myself from those who care for me. I feel like I'm a former shell of the student that you had high hopes for. I don't even feel like myself anymore. What if my parents were there? What if I falter again? I know you're trying to help. I know... I know there was nothing I could have did... but I... I... should've been better! I should have.. did something... I just..."

Hiroe avoided his gaze as tears filled her eyes, wetting her face as she desperately tried to compose herself. They were all trying to help her. So what was it that she was missing? What was it that her eyes couldn't see?

"How... can you all speak so calmly about the end?"

It was never wrong to fear death -- even as a Shinigami. Even if some of them had never been born in the Living World, there was still a semblance of humanity in them. For her to be afraid was to be human. As she cried and question what she was to do now, the Captain simply drew her back into a warm embrace.

"Perhaps I've become too jaded to feel as much fear as I had back then. I speak so calmly because I know...that even if I lose my life, if I am reincarnated and lose my memories, there will be those who remember me."

Letting her go, he smiled softly as he let her have some space.

"You may have isolated yourself now, but that doesn't mean that you can't come back out, talk with your friends, continue your studies, and work on being a better version of you than before. You may falter, but what matters is your ability to get back up. Your parents, your friends, they would all want that of you. It isn't something that will disappear overnight, it's something you need to work towards."

A hand gently rested on her shoulder again as she tried to compose herself, even in her frustration and despair, he met it all with a warm, loving smile.

"There was nothing you could have done then. You did the best that you could, and that is all anyone could ask of you. You are still alive, you can still become stronger. To be afraid is to be human -- let that fear become your resolve, your drive, your determination to never feel that again. Show your friends, your family, the academy, the world, that you're stronger than that -- that despair isn't enough to stop you, Hiroe Miyashiro."

His own resolve burned like a wildfire, a scorching determination in his scarlet eyes as he looked to Hiroe with hope, hope that she would be able to take her life back, to show that she was stronger than this, to prove that she was every bit worthy as he knew that she was.

Again, she was drawn into that warm embrace, reminded of her potential with sincere words accompanied by a gentle voice. He wasn't imposing his opinion on her nor did he pass judgment. He truly understood her fear of death, understood her apprehension of facing countless instances where she her life would be at risk, and her skill would be the only path towards her survival. For her to achieve her dream would mean repeatedly throwing caution to the wind, hoping that lady luck would smile upon her. She couldn't refute his statement. It was an undeniable truth. Remaining in that warm embrace, she placed her head against his shoulder. For the first time since they sat down together, since he uttered his first words, Hiroe truly felt as if her fear was being acknowledged. It felt almost detestable, of course, since she'd withheld pertinent information from her beloved peers, but the weight of each word as it fell from his mouth? What could she say? How could she deny that?


Perhaps I've become too jaded to feel as much fear as I had back then. I speak so calmly because I know...that even if I lose my life, if I am reincarnated and lose my memories, there will be those who remember me.

Her eyes widened at that statement, reflecting on all of the people who cared for her, who wished for nothing but her success. Each of them had supported her, had promised her that they would match her vigor, and yet she was isolating herself away from them, avoiding them like a foul plague. No matter what, those memories would never be washed away. Even if she never saw their smiles again, experienced those halcyon days, she would remain in their hearts until the end of time. Then, he sat a hand on her shoulder. Gold gazed into crimson as he spoke of his belief in her talent, spoke of overcoming her fear, uttering her entire name. Hiroe Miyashiro. Show them that despair isn't enough to stop you. And so, she wondered.

Had despair been enough to stop her? Had she cared about any of this before? Her dream was not over. The script still required it's protagonist. She was the hero of her own tale, and there were so many actors, remarkable men and women who wholly believed in her potential. Why persist? Why question it? Dreams required sacrifice. If she wasn't willing to die for this, then it would have been a vain pursuit. A cruel comedy with no punchline. For a moment, something strange occurred. An inner voice flicked through her mind. A stern voice that didn't belong to her or the Stealth Division Captain.



What... was that just now? A vision of a world she hadn't seen before momentarily flickered before her eyes. Rumbling clouds in a dreamlike sky. A regal figure with an imposing gaze. A woman. What was it? A hallucination? Hiroe shook her head softly, wiping away her tears as she regained her composure. Meeting that determined gaze, Hiroe still struggling to make sense of that vision, nodded her head as she wiped away her tears.

"T-Thank you, Teacher. I... I really needed this. I don't know what the future holds, but I have to try. You all believe in me, believe I have potential beyond my own imagination. I'm.. not gonna run away anymore... My dream isn't over yet..."