Tsuji Bachou

In spite of Tsuji's loyal and friendly allure and charm, he has quite an extensive and experienced past behind him. The time he spent on earth are some of the best times he has had, treasuring them preciously, now only in his memory. Born of the Bachou family, he only had one sibling which was his sister, whom he got along with immensely well.
Growing up, he had a bit of a rocky time in school. He was bullied in kindergarten and also in primary school. The children placed him in a social box because of his somewhat outgoing personality. Positive, outgoing, but still withdrawn enough so it was nothing overly pompous. He stood out too much for the bullies, and so, the perfect target for bullying. He often got in fights on a weekly basis, sometimes coming home with more than just a bleeding nose. Tsuji did not understand the psychology behind bullying back then. Hardly any time to ponder about it anyway if several bullies came to beat you up on a weekly basis, turning school into an uninteresting survival camp of sorts in the eye of the child.
Education did not seem interesting in particular for him either. It seemed just so damn boring! He would rather be playing with toys and watch funny TV shows, why did he have to go learn about numbers, letters and mathematics? But it was exactly this kind of thinking that would later be the foundations of how Tsuji thought about education and good teachers in life.
After a hard time in primary school, it was time for secondary school. It was more or less the same story here, only then even more extreme. Teachers at this level despised and picked out any student who asked too much. Tsuji's interest in the field of education began to grow, and it was shunned by his teachers. In the eyes of many teachers, students were meant to swallow what they were given, and not truly understand the material and focus more in rote learning. This was what created the massive gap between Tsuji and his teachers, meaning he had to endure authoritarian power-play bullying from his teachers, and more direct bullying from some of his fellow students.
This was not all in vain. Tsuji grew and learned from the experience. Some learned to build walls out of the bricks that were thrown at them, but Tsuji did not build any walls. He built massive towers instead.
What this metaphor means is that Tsuji learned more than the average student in this type of situation. He learned to not only deal with it, but also how to lash back at the forces that threatened him. However, the turbulence did not end there. A long story short, his parents were killed. Under what specific circumstances is only known to Tsuji himself. On top of his, his sister also went missing. He began a frantic search for answers and for his sister which would later cost him his own life. Murdered in cold blood by what appeared to be a demon of sorts. Unfortunately, Tsuji could not fully grasp what the demon looked like before passing away, succumbing to his wounds. The mere thought would baffle people and make it sound like some sort of school drama gone bad. Some even dare say that the two children committed suicide. But only Tsuji and his sister know the real truth behind each of their stories.

After Tsuji awoke on the planes of Shinigami, he found himself rather dumbstruck, and also left gagging for something to eat and drink. His brain overloaded himself with questions, looking for answers that he would not find until much, much later. Getting up, he found himself in wet clothes, dirtied by mud and looking somewhat torn, almost as if he was travelling for quite some time. Not pondering about minor details, first thing was first. Food, shelter, and water.
Looking around him first, he did notice one thing. A sword. A katana was lying beside him. Observing it very carefully, he saw there was no blood on it. Beside it lay its wooden sheath. It might have proven useful, but he felt that he was truly in danger. And picking it up could mean he could get into legal trouble. He left it lying where it was, in the mud.
Walking onwards in the vast forest he found himself in, trees all around, he started his search for those three ever-so important things to a human being. Little did he know that he was nothing of the sort. That he was now a Shinigami. But that didn't dawn on him yet, for his mind was focused on the important things. As he wandered randomly, he found himself deeply thinking and pondering about his past on earth and how in heaven's name he found himself here. Maybe he unconsciously walked over to here after being attacked... by that accursed demon.

He had to find his sister.
And help, pretty damn fast. Or he had to survive on what the forest would offer him. Beasts that he likely could not slay, berries that he likely would not find, or dirty water that he would have to drink. He must have walked for at least 2-4 hours. He didn't have his useful watch on him either, nor his wallet. Was he robbed of his possessions before waking? Cursing under his breath for his lack of fortune and luck, he marched on. Thankfully at least, it was not raining. There were clouds that didn't allow the sun out, but there was no rain. That was good enough--

Making sure to bite his tongue at the right time, it started coming down on him with gradual certainty. Walking on with haste, but not running, he did not know what he would come across. After all, if you are a stranger in a strange land, you don't want to be taken by surprise.

Walking onwards however, he felt that he was being watched by someone, or something. Preferably someone, thank you very much, he would think to himself. Again cursing under his own breath to himself for not taking the weapon. At least he would have his life if he picked the damn thing up. Feeling that my life was threatened, thoughts cross my mind which I accidentally let out without so much as a sigh.

Then, he appeared. Tsuji did not recognise him. He was in japanese clothing, but nothing like a uniform of sorts. He had a katana as well...
Tsuji spotted then in his other hand a second katana. The wooden one that he left behind.
'This belongs to you, I think. It's really bad to leave your own Zanpakutou behind.'
Throwing the weapon at me in its sheath, it dropped on the floor. He expected me to catch it at the time, I'm sure. I saw the thought pass in his eyes. I picked it up, looking at it.
'Heard you say you swore to become stronger, or something like it. You'll need that if you want to be...' He points at my Zanpakutou.

I breathe heavily, but only to myself. Still wary, I begin to relax slowly. 'Can you... maybe show me a way out of here? Please, that is...'I said, hopeful but still polite in my manners. And they paid off.


It was that night that I met my first friend in this strange world of hollows and Shinigami.

I took shelter with Will. Or, at least, that's what he addressed himself
as. In case you don't know who that is by now, its that guy who saved
my ass in the forest. He lived simply. A place big enough for three
people to live normally, give or take. I could tell this place was
either abandoned or on offer for quite a cheap price, in District 10. I
guessed the latter.

I helped chip in with little things. Little things such as shopping,
getting food and water, cleaning, etc. It meant I could share his living
space and live under his roof.



I also practiced Kendo with him. Thankfully, I was not new in the field,
and kept up with him nicely. I knew he held back quite a bit though. Or
maybe that was just my perceptions getting the best of me. Regardless,
he never quite hit as hard as I did. Very early on, he always told me to
bring my Zanpakutou, as he called it, with me if I ever went out to
look for rations from the forest. We could not always afford a luxurious
meal from stores or restaurants, after all.

I asked him all sorts of questions on where I was, as I was explained about the planes of the Shinigami and the Hollows and the like. And also about the Quincy, and also how some people apparently commented that my friend should have been born as a Quincy instead. I did not quite understand, so I asked him about that too. He told me that one day he would show me.

One day, when I went alone in the forest, the unthinkable happened. Or,
at least, the unthinkable to me. For experienced Shinigami, it was a
daily occurrence or at the very least, very common. For me, this was the
first time.
A Hollow found me. Or, I found a Hollow. It didn't matter who found who. I was in trouble.
I pulled out my Zanpakutou as the beast charged towards me. Sticking out
my Zanpakutou was one option, but it would get me hurt. Dodging to the
side and slashing it was one option, but less lethal. I didn't have many
more options, but choosing in the fraction of a second seemed harder
than people might think. Still though, that fraction of a second seemed
to last longer at the time. I took the coward's way out. I dodged and
slashed sideways, clocking it solid in the face. I could not cut deep,
but it was a flesh wound.
The beast attacked again, closer than before. Luck was with me as again I
dodged. This time, I saw a blind spot. The beast practically speaking
my size. I jumped as high as possible as I landed on its back, it
struggling to throw me off, and me, struggling to aim at its back to
plunge my sword into the beasts' back.

The beast won that one, unfortunately. I was tossed aside as I crashed
into a tree, certainly enough to shake and move it. Stunned for a
moment, I got up as it ran towards me. I had to dodge again, with less
energy available to me this time. Determined to survive, I solidified my reiatsu and focused in drawing the battle out as much as possible and find a way to escape.
I got up and jumped to the side, just in time. The beast crashed into the tree, levelling it and breaking it, splinters everywhere. I took several jumps back, initiating my plan, holding my Zanpakutou in front of me.
Focusing my Reiatsu one last time, my aim was to dodge into the obscurity of the forest, and to run from the beast.
I then realised however, that that was not such a great plan after all. What if there were more out there waiting for me? But that didn't make sense... if there were, they would come here. But maybe they did not know of my location. And Hollows can feel the life force of Shinigami and humans alike. Or so Will told me... they could track me for quite a few distances... but I had to try.

I stood ready as it charged at me one last time.

In the nick of time, everything slowed down again. I saw an arrow go in the beasts' neck, sending it flying into a tree, snapping it as it attached itself to it. This was no normal arrow. It was a big arrow, with a substance that looked like thorns adorned around it, piercing itself deeply in the Hollow. It was a solid strike as the Hollow vaporised.

I looked to where it came from and saw my friend, with an elaborately large bow. So this was what he was on about a while ago. Shikai, he called it... I now understood why people said he should have been born a Quincy.

After we got back to his place, he gave me a strict lesson, telling me the responsibility behind using the Zanpakutou. I took it very, very seriously. A lesson already learnt for me, but none should ever scorn revision. Its a lesson in life that has stuck with me until the end.

'Listen Tsuji, this power... one day, you may find your own just like it. It's good to be ambitious but be careful with it. Mete it where justice is truly lacking-' I interrupted him then. 'You don't have to worry, not with me...' He nodded in approval. He then spoke again.
'The truth is that I will be going to the Academy very soon.' I told him that I knew, and that he was saving money to go. 'I wish you the best of luck, Will. Give it your best shot to pass! Maybe you will get into one of the Divisions!'I laughed as he did too. 'That's what is going to happen.', he said with certainty. Of course, I got to stay at his place of residence. I just had to provide for myself, but I hoped to join the Academy as well, for several reasons.
I saw him off the next day. It was not so hard seeing him off. It was how I was going to spend the rest of my day that was hard. It would not be the same in that small little home. It would be far more lonely.
When he disappeared behind the gates, I turned around to head back home. But as I strode back to my place of comfort, I held my head high as I knew what had to be done. Knowing what the future had in store for me, I would go home with the thought of preparation to get ready for applying to the Academy myself. And of course the thought that I would surely see him again.