Kiwis [Ranma, Yuuto]

Ranma’s perception of Captains… very warped after his encounter with Captain Nagoshi. As a matter of fact, it’d likely screwed his brain a bit looser than before – this needed to be fixed, effective immediately! As a newly promoted 13th Seat of the 8th Division, he couldn’t just shit his pants in the presence of every Captain he met, right? Maybe it was just a fluke… I mean, I was all the way out there, and she was clearly searching for someone else – the other Captains should probably be a bit… more… f-friendlier…

At least, he crossed fingers on that. But you might have been asking – what was he doing, approaching the barracks of the 5th Division right now? Well, firstly – it was Shuten’s squad, and he hadn’t seen her in a while… so why not meet their Captain next?

… Wait, was Ranma planning to just waltz in like a dunce? YES HE WAS! He had to brake in his tracks hard enough to kick up dirt from under his soles, smacking his face with both hands in loath. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! MANNERS, YOU RAG! MANNERS! THIS AIN’T YOUR DIVISION – BE BETTER THAN ARMINA, AND ASK!

“*Cough*… Uh, greetings and salutations… uh, that doesn’t sound right- hi, hello! 13th Seat from the 8th Division, Ranma… *sigh* Gekiretsu… I’m seeking an audience with Captain Hisakawa. Please don’t break my bones due to lack of formality, I practiced really hard to get to this point…”

Getting the occasional visitor to the Fifth Division's barracks was nothing really new. Some people wanted to learn more about the division while in the academy, or some just knew people from his division while in another. However, it wasn't everyday that people came for him specifically. So, upon hearing someone at the door to his office requesting an audience, Yuuto raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

In the blink of an eye and without a sound, he was at the door, opening it to see a young man standing out in front. He had heard the last bit of what he said, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head as he stepped out.

"Covert Operations might involve interrogation and, to some extent, torture, but unless a lack of formality is suddenly a federal offense, I can't say that I'd do that."

Yuuto offered a warm smile and a light wave to the young man, who, now seeing him, recognized. Ranma Gekiretsu, the Eighth Division's Thirteenth Seat, recently promoted. He typically kept tabs on most members of the Gotei, both current and former, especially since the Fifth Division frequently worked alongside the First. Plus, it allowed him to continually collect data, in the event of a worst case scenario -- at least, speaking from an internal affairs matter.

"Is there any particular reason you wanted to seek an audience with me, of all people, Seated Officer Gekiretsu?"

Ranma was expecting some member of the Covert Operations Unit to greet him, perhaps scoff at his quirkiness and then lead him to their Captain – who was most likely bench-pressing a few thousand pounds of lead with his sheer Spiritual Pressure alone – but the Captain himself opened the gate for him… which left Ranma in a state of monotone shock. Just for a few seconds.

“…” Blink, blink. So… uh… f-friendly? Wait, what was up with Captain Nagoshi, then?! She really was just fucking around with me, wasn’t she?! Had me shitting my pants out there! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE! I ALMOST BROKE DOWN CRYING!!!

Ranma returned the wave with a light one of his own before stating: “I was getting curious about Captain stuff lately… huh, wonder if Shuten’s here today- yeah, Captains, yeah…” No need to explain about Captain Nagoshi, that’d just be embarrassing, “Y’all… sure are different. I mean, between Captain Rose, Captain Nagoshi, Captain Urahara, and you…”

…

“Oh, I got promoted recently, so I come with a gift now,” Ranma revealed, thinking that he could break the ice a little harder with a treat! He could hear drums in his head, the prologue to a grand reveal as his hand stuck in under his Shihakushō and pulled out a fresh, magnificent kiwi – somehow still cold and fresh despite having been under his Shihakushō all this time.

“I do actually have a question, specifically for you… but it gotta be behind closed doors.”

He was curious about captaincy? Was he wanting a glimpse into how other division Captains handled their work or acted in a general manner? Perhaps. His brow furrowed lightly at the mention of his fourth seat. Had he been around when Shuten was put as Captain in his place after his dismissal? Was that what got him so interested? The curiosity briefly turned to irritation at the mention of Captain Nagoshi. He'd been keeping an eye on her for a long while now, under Murasaki's orders. He didn't like her, not one bit. Things had been happening that were all coincidentally coming very soon after her release from prison.

He was about to comment on the differences between the Captains when the young man did something that thoroughly caught him off-guard. Ignoring the peculiarities of wanting to give him a gift as a result of his promotion, the sheer impossibility of him stashing a kiwi that was remarkably fresh in his shihakusho and coming from the Eighth Division to the Fifth was...confusing, to say the very least. Doubly so when he realized that he could feel a cold air from the berry.

Not one to be rude, Yuuto quietly and graciously took the item into his hands, completely unbothered, yet curious, at how cold it was.

"I...well, I certainly have a few questions for you now as well, Seated Officer. Though I don't understand why yours would need to be answered behind closed doors, we can step into my office."

Yuuto stepped to the side, gesturing the way for Ranma to walk in, before walking in behind him without a sound, thinking about what he was going to do with this.

Nice. Captain Hisakawa was very understanding… Ranma had a looming question that he wanted answered. A certain process between him and Hōkamaru was destined to take place very soon, he could feel it… but how had others undergone it? What exactly lied behind the awakening of one’s Zanpakutō?

Ranma skidaddled into the Captain’s office, his steps light as he looked around, pondered about his question, then sighed. “Nope, still feels surreal as all hell… I can’t see myself ever becoming a Captain. Gotta live at least… a hundred or two years before I can get in the midset,” he expressed, grabbing his Sealed Zanpakutō and gazing upon it, “Not to mention, I still don’t have Bankai… do all Captains have Bankai? That must mean you too?”

Pointing his Zanpakutō’s hilt towards Yuuto, something that at times could be considered quite brazen, Ranma asked: “How’d you achieve Bankai? I’ve never actually known how… it works, y’know. Ranny said it was super-rare, but me and Hōkamaru are bros now, so is there something I’m still lacking? I was told it wasn't that big of a deal, but the curiosity's killing me – do I have to call his name twice in a row? I tried, it didn’t work… and other than you Captains, not that many other Shinigamis got Bankai – and I can’t just ask those at the 4th, or I’ll end up in the 2nd’s barracks again, and then Morikawa-sensei will rip my ears off- Ah…”

…

…

“… So, uh, before I lose my shit… what is Bankai?”

At the mention of the release's name, Yuuto perked up a little bit. He continued to listen as they approached his desk and the two sat down. Just from the first mention, it wasn't hard for him to realize why he was there. Given that he also mentioned what seemed to be his Zanpakuto's name, he had already achieved the first step, and sought out a Captain to learn and understand the next.

"That's...a difficult question to answer, beyond just giving you the technical definition. Each Zanpakuto is different according to its wielder, so there aren't many consistencies when it comes to it. To answer the first question, yes, Bankai typically is a requirement when becoming a Captain, though there have been exceptions."

A hand idly drifted to his own Zanpakuto, fingers gently coiling around the pommel. He seemed to be getting rather...peculiar information regarding the topic, not to mention also seeming to get into trouble rather often, given his imagination of what would happen should he try and approach certain others.

"As for how I achieved it...that's classified information."

He looked at Ranma with an uncharacteristically serious stare, before the expression softened and he shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"Only joking. I achieved it the same as many others, through manifestation. Bankai is achieved through either subjugation of the spirit or mutual understanding, showcased through the manifestation of the spirit in the physical, material world. You might think that you're friends with your spirit, but, take a moment to think."

He made a light gesture to the weapon pointed at him, his expression turning serious once more, though this was more akin to a teacher or a mentor emphasizing the gravity of the situation, rather than Yuuto having taken personal offense or something.

"Our Zanpakuto Spirits are ultimately reflections of the self. Is it possible that Hokamaru is lying or falsifying its interest? As unfortunate as it is, these endeavors are typically a lonely one by nature. You'll need to confront Hokamaru, look at yourself, and think. Ask yourself: why does it takes this particular form, this personality, these powers? Look at yourself and your Zanpakuto from every angle."

Dangit. Every Zanpakutō was different, so every Shinigami’s progression to Shikai and Bankai was bound to be different too. Although, it gave Ranma hope that his dearest, greatest love wouldn’t have to go through half the bullshit he had to put up with – seriously, that hide-and-seek game Hōkamaru played when Ranma entered his Inner World for the first time was a nightmare.

His eyes perked up, pupils slitted like those of a cat’s, when Captain Hisakawa noted that having a Bankai wasn’t the most absolute factor in all the Captains that had existed – there had been exceptions… someone like him, Ranny, or Koga could’ve become a Captain before. They must’ve been a force to be reckoned with, though.

Ranma’s face turned grey when the Captain concluded that his unlocking of Bankai was classified information… so Ranma concluded that he’d just poked the hornet’s nest, and that he’d spoken up on a topic he had no business dwelling in. So much for proving that he was a more responsible man now that he’d been promoted, eh? If Captain Hisakawa reported this back to Captain Rose, Ranma could say goodbye to that ungodly 13th Seat that he’d worked so fucking hard to get to, all because he couldn’t shut his fucking mouth-

Oh… dude duked him. Ranma blinked in shock at first, but his eyes soon squinted at him, silently huffing ‘hah hah’.

Now… in all seriousness, Ranma did think of himself as Hōkamaru’s friend. And based on his experience, Hōkamaru did hear him… listen to him… and aid him in his time of need… but Ranma always felt that there was something Hōkamaru was holding back from him. Hōkamaru, never-talking, came off as too shy for his own good, but was it because of worry? Shame? Anger? Ranma, at the end of the day, had no idea… he tried to give his Zanpakutō space to be by himself, not meddle in his thoughts too much, but they were still partners, right?

But since Hōkamaru was a reflection of himself, as Captain Hisakawa noted… perhaps the answer was already at hand. “So… I’ll have to ask myself why Hōkamaru looks like a boomerang strapped to a hilt… why he’s so unwilling to utter a word… and why he slows down things around him?”

This was one hell of a task for his brain to process. Ranma had to cup his chin extra hard for this one… Hōkamaru was word-shy to a fault. He’d ever only uttered two words in his entire life – his own name when Ranma finally caught up to him in the Inner World, and Ranma’s name recently when his Shikai changed shape. Ranma was so happy when he said his name back then, since it felt like Hōkamaru finally acknowledged him, but it wasn’t the breakthrough he needed to achieve Bankai… so was Hōkamaru still hiding something from him? Or was Ranma hiding something from himself?

“I mean, I don’t think I’m that shy with people – I’m right here, after all,” Ranma elaborated with pride, knuckles on his hips as it almost seemed like his nose turned spikier with self-validation, “And as bloody awesome as slowing down time around us is, I… I don’t really get why Hōkamaru does that. I mean, other than delaying the inevitable.”

Ranma had met a fair share of adversaries that didn’t let the deceleration of time itself hold them back from punching him in the face – especially foes several times faster than him. Ranma had spent many years trying to focus Hōkamaru’s power into smaller scales with higher rates of actually achieving what he sought, and he could say with certainty that he knew how to use his Shikai with expertise.

…

“If Hōkamaru could just shoot fire or lightning or something like that, I’m sure that’d be much easier to understand…” Ranma groaned with both hands pressing against his temples as he felt his brain aching, “I got to be messed up or something… I don’t believe Hōkamaru’s trying to lie to me. He doesn’t come off as a liar at all. Please don’t call him a liar. He’s not a liar, okay?!”

Now, Ranma’s mood was a bit soured, and he found himself sitting at the corner of the office facing the wall. There was a fun correlation here – not being understood. Ranma was enigmatic, quirky, and at times utterly unpredictable – Hōkamaru just didn’t talk. Both had trouble communicating with others properly. Both felt a bit isolated inside, and both craved a deep comfort and bonding with others too strong to require words. Hōkamaru didn’t just delay the inevitable – Hōkamaru delayed the future. The frightening, unknown, harrowing future that often looked so grim and ruined to Ranma. At least…

Before. Before he met certain people, made certain connections. Now, his future looked a little brighter, so why fear it? Why run away from it? These were all questions he never had the gall to answer, didn’t even acknowledge them.

It seemed that the young man had thought about it at the very least, but, given how complicated these matters were, especially with a concept so multi-faceted as time, it wasn't surprising to see him having reached a brick wall of sorts. So, letting Ranma get everything out, Yuuto raised his hands, taking in a deep breath.

"While, theoretically, all concepts that emerge from a Zanpakuto have their own complexities, time especially is a tricky one to understand. However, I have a few ideas, based on what you've now told me."

Yuuto rested an arm against his desk, letting his cheek lay against an open palm.

"Slowing down time could mean a few things. It could be born from a sense of laziness, not wanting to move with the pace of the rest of the world. Or, it could be something related to a deep-rooted sense of eagerness and impatience, and the spirit is trying to tell you to slow down. However, there is another idea...fear."

Yuuto's expression once again turned back to that serious look, dark umber seeming to bore holes into Ranma, as if staring into the depths of his soul.

"Do you perhaps fear the advancement of time? That you're not improving fast enough, so you want to slow down the world itself to keep pace? Perhaps an uncertainty toward the future; a loved one's life, or even your own, that you don't want to feel you've wasted time with? Someone that you want more time with, so that you don't live with regret?"

He slowly lifted his head, leaning back slightly in his chair.

"Are you beginning to understand? There is far more potential for depth than you may realize, Officer Gekiretsu."

Ranma’s ears perked up like those of a dog. Captain Hisakawa, too, admitted that the concept of time itself was as tricky as tricky could get – why the heavens or the machinations of fate decided [“You know what? Let’s give that Ranma guy a real mind-boggler! Just as a prank!”] was beyond his and the Captain’s immediate knowledge.

So Ranma ruminated, and it all led to the Captain of the 5th laying out a few of his gold-nuggets of thoughts for the fresh fledgling of a Seated Officer to pick up. The first nugget, though, could go fuck itself – Ranma’s eyes turned into those of a judging feline, eyeing Captain Hisakawa with ‘debatable’ written all over his face. He wasn’t lazy! He was just time-efficient… okay, fuck, yes, he could be lazy if he wanted to, but that wasn’t the same as being lazy on impulse!

… Why did that feel so wrong in his head? Was he lazy? Y’know what, yeah, probably. But not wanting to move on the same pace as the world around him sounded odd – the world was going to move on, and he would be pulled along by force. Hōkamaru’s ability was great, but… whenever he used it, he wasn’t exactly feeling lazy. As a matter of fact, he was often on the brink of getting smited in the face.

The second point made a bit more sense, making Ranma’s eyes widen in realization. He’d been treated as kind of a child by the others around him, and children were often impatient and eager. So even Hōkamaru was telling him to tighten up…

“Y-Yeah, that makes more sense…” was all he could comment on that second point, though. He crossed his arms and grinded his mental gears to loom over the issue – how he came off to other people. Junichiro had just met him once, and he was already fed up. His Division had been too patient with him. Ranny probably wanted to give him a noogie so hard that his scalp would expose his cranium-

Fear…?

Ranma could no longer think right. That word alone, more than even the Captain’s gaze, rustled something deep inside of him. As he listened, uncharacteristically devout, it was as if all the events from when he unlocked his Shikai to now just kept pouring out of his eyes, creating mental images of all of his struggles and gifts, his ups and downs. His desire to actually get Hohō under control, his dismay over the silence of his Zanpakutō, his constant flow of injuries…

He looked at his sealed Zanpakutō. His hand was shaking. “… It feels like… uhm…” he uttered, “Like I’m just one wrong step from ruining everything… n-no, that sounds retarded- my whole life’s been wrong steps, man. It’s a damn miracle I came this far…”

Maybe that was why he was scared of advancing forward. He couldn’t bet on luck all the time. One day, his luck would run out, he’d die, and Erica… would be left alone. Mourning over him.

Yuuto was no fool. With all the roles and tasks that being in the Stealth Force had to offer, he had become incredibly skilled in understanding a situation, as well as the people involved in them. So, even the first signs of Ranma's discomfort was not lost on the Captain, and, as if flipping a switch, his expression instantly softened. He sighed quietly, offering a warm smile as he kept silent, listening to the young man as he spoke. As he finished, Yuuto sat up and leaned forward, gently resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Now now, calm down. I'm sorry, Ranma. I didn't mean to scare you, I only wanted to put things into perspective."

His gaze turned to the floor as he took a moment to think, a brief exhale coming from his nose as he canted his head to the side during the thought process.

"You say that, but, you've done things that most Shinigami only can dream of. You're a seated officer, you know your Zanpakuto's name, your records in the academy show rather impressive grades toward Zanjutsu...those are accomplishments to be proud of, especially if you feel that you're ready to take the next step in understanding Hokamaru."

Removing his hand, he smiled, resting his head against an open palm.

"Something to note, impatience and fear are perfectly normal. The first step of overcoming those traits are to become aware of them, and aware of where they come from. Again, to understand your Zanpakuto is to also understand yourself. Take this to heart, remember that, and not only will you be able to reach that next plateau, but you will master yourself along the way. Don't be afraid to take your time. I know even my Zanpakuto Spirit has tried to...not-so-subtly teach me that lesson as well in its own way."

His gaze drifted off, chuckling to himself as he thought of Raiu's own answer to his impatience and desire to blitz through everything at the speed of sound, overly eager to break through the next bottleneck toward the heavens. He could relate more to Ranma than he would ever know, albeit in his own ways.