With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
He froze, allowing Aoide to numbly slip off his shoulder. He hadn't expected her to take a snap at how Yachiru was raised, and frankly, he didn't like it. Yachiru had been a baby, there was no way that she was part of a slave-trade, could she?
To be honest, all she would ever tell him was that up to the point when she met him, all she could remember was blood.
He clenched his fists and his jaw so hard that it shook, as if on queue, his reiastu flared about him like a yellow flame, so hard that the air about him began to crackle. "The 79th... that's where I found her."
Like Kenpachi was named after his district, Yachiru had been named after hers. "Kusajishi."
He sighed and unclenched his fists, willing for his anger to go down and his reiastu to control itself. He took a couple deep breaths before raising a glazed eye to look at Aoide. "Don't talk about stuff you don't know about."
"I'll be fine okay?"
He sighed and cupped her cheek, his expression softening almost immediately and his thumb brushing against her cheek. "... Alright."
Without another word, he obeyed her and turned around, heading the direction that would most likely be the most crowded, and away from Aoide.
One thing was for certain, he was glad he was going to get into a fight, he needed to blow off some steam.
Aoide didn't even bother to stop as she lept from one rooftop to another, she could be concerned with her lover's feelings later, she had to stop these guys from taking that child, and perhaps children. Aoide's heart ached as she ran, no one deserved a life like that, nor to be torn away from their family. Though she'd have to pray for luck that other Shinigami were in on this and were taking the children themselves to the lower districts. She closed her eyes focusing on her Reaistu, when she opened them again they were a pale orange color as she saw the world in the way of the song. Everything was so many colors depending on if they were alive and if it had a soul. Most souls we're a bland brown color nothing special, but Shinigami, Aoide had seen many colors, so many she had trouble remembering them all.
Still jumping from one rooftop to another, Aoide felt it in the distance, a gathering of Spiritual Energy, several Shinigami. She sped up, diving off the building and landing nearby. They didn't seem very powerful as she switched off her sight and blinked heavily to return her vision. She scowled deeply at the picture before her, filthy children practically being thrown into a covered, wooden wagon.
She sneered slightly, her fingers on the hilt of her blade, "Hey," she yelled watching the Shinigami and few street trash turn to look at her, "Aoide Sato Third Seat of Squad Ten, you're under arrest for kidnapping and slave trade," she announced.
"Tsh, and you're gonna stop us, you're out number chickie. From the looks of yeh, you don't know how things work out here," one of the Shinigami spat on the ground and grinned at Aoide before pulling out his Zanpaktou, "See, we own these districts, and we only take this kids cause the community has to pay us back for protecting them, if they can't pay then we just sell their kids for the money." A growl issued out of Aoide's throat as she pulled her blade out of it's sheath.
"No point in gettin' pissed lady, that's how it is here, just ignore what you see and you can leave with your life," the Shinigami grinned. Aoide's eyes darted from the Shinigami to the crying children then to the Shinigami. Distracted she didn't sense the other Shinigami sneaking up behind her before it was too late. Aoide's eyes widened as a pair of arms wrapped around her pinning her arms to her side.
"Just 'ill her, no one's gonna buy some Shinigami bitch," the guy said.
No use of her arms, but still Aoide grinned insanely as her Reaistu began to glow around her before exploding in a giant wave of energy, blowing the man away from her and into a nearby building. The ground shook as the yellow energy reached to the sky, it almost surprised Aoide but she had been training pretty hard.
"Teh, you're pretty strong, but yeh better watch you, see there's families in these houses, wouldn't want to crumble them in on them now would you?" the shinigami grinned pulling out his blade, "Rape, kure-ji-doragon," he spoke as the Shinigami around him began to release their Zanpaktou. The guy grinned even wider as he hit is palm with his club-like Zanpaktou.
Aoide took a step back, her blade at the ready. If what he said was true about the houses, she could release her Zanpaktou in fear of crushing those people, and she didn't want to risk it even if it was a lie, no matter she would survive. She rushed forward, slicing through a few of the Shinigami before coming up on the leader, her blade connected with his club, only for her to be knocked backward by the sheer strength of it.
"Like that? Kure-ji-doragon, is great against good two shoes Shinigami. Not only does it knock back attacks, but it's also great for crushing skulls," Aoide let out a yelp as the club came crashing down aimed for her skull, she brought her blade up in time, only to be blasted backwards again.
The floor was strewn with bodies now, that of the guard and of the mob members. Of the entire gang that had been making the exchange of money, only two remained.
There was the boss, and the Shinigami. Of the two of them it had been the Shinigami that spoke up. It took a moment for the mob boss to speak up, but after a moment, he found his voice again, albeit shaking from the overflowing reiastu.
"H-hey! Look! I'll... pay you ta walk away! What about it huh? Name your price!"
There was a flash of Zaraki's zanpakuto, his blade now dripping with the blood of one more victim. The boss' head fell off said man's shoulders, seconds after his body followed.
It was a busy street, so this was very much on display, around them, a crowd had gathered. Rumors that a lone Shinigami had wiped out the local syndicate had everyone running towards the area. "Za-Zaraki-Taichou!" The Shinigami trembled under his gaze. "I was... under orders! I was undercover to blow this trading business open! Just ask... Soifon-Taichou!"
"Hn." Was all the man got in reply for a couple moments. "I don't care. If ya had a shred of a conscience, ya would've done this yerself."
"W-wha--?!" It was too late, the infamous blade of an equally infamous captain had sliced his guts open, spilling his intestines all over the floor for all the district to see.
He stood there, swinging off the excess blood from his blade and panting heavily as if his blood lust had not been sated. That's because it wasn't, all they had been were useless cowards, men who deserved to die.
It was just then that he heard a crash. His head jerked towards the direction of the sound. "Aoide!" He said almost inaudibly.
Without a second's delays or hesitation, the man took off, leaping over the shocked and in awe crowd with one bound before setting off down the street in the direction of the battle sounds.
If anything happened to her... he... he would never forgive himself.
When he came into view of the battle, he saw the girl attempt to block another Shinigami's mace with the blade of her zanpakuto, only to be sent flying back, being knocked off her feet.
"I got you now!" The man hollered at Aoide as he swung his mace at the fallen form of the Shinigami, he raised his weapon and was about to crush the petite girl when...
Whumph!
"I thought ya said ya'd be fine." Zaraki grunted from above her. He had caught the weapon with the palm of his left hand.
"W-what the hell?!" The man looked up, just to come eye-to-eye with the most feared Shinigami in Seretei. "K-Kenpachi!"
"Die, maggot." He growled out before using his blade-wielding hand to slice the Shinigami to pieces. It only took a couple seconds for him to make mince meat out of the remaining survivors.
When he was done, he swung the excess blood off his hands, rather unscathed aside from his left hand. It was bleeding pretty badly due to the impact, but he didn't seem to mind it at all. Without even acknowledging the girl, he sheathed his weapon and began to unload the children.
"Teh," Aoide grinned as she landed on her back and the Shinigami took the bait, she lifted her palm up ready to unless the same Reaistu balls she had been showing Squad 11 that morning, when Kenpachi appeared out of no where fending off the guy. She sat up looking annoyed, no she wasn't annoyed, she was pissed, she had everything under control, and he had to run and act like she was some sort of damsel in distress that needed to be saved. He made short work of the Shinigami, which pissed her off anymore. She needed some of them to question them! There was probably an entire chain network going on and he had just destroyed the link that would lead to others.
Aoide got to her feet, marched over to the children, she gave Kenpachi a hard, angry, annoyed look, it was a woman thing to be able to give a look with that many emotions before she began to help the children, her Reaistu washed over them calming them enough from the bloody display from Kenpachi for them to trust them. After all Shinigami had brought them into this mess, Shinigami that they were suppose to trust, who said that Shinigami would take them out? Aoide helped each child off the wagon, and came to a small boy with a scar over his eye.
"Aki?" she asked before the child ran to her wrapping his arms around her legs. Bewildered, Aoide lifted the child into her arms and rubbed his back, "shh, we're going to take you back to your momma, she's been worried sick," she said shushing the small child her voice warm and comforting. Counting the heads of the children, she took another's hand and began leading them back to the resturant, leading the way, knowing sure in hell that Kenpachi couldn't find his way back.
"... Yer welcome." He frowned as the girl gave him a dirty look. Girls were impossible to understand. He sighed, his blood lust finally sated. Well, if anything, all these kids would be getting home soon. Still, it annoyed him that she would treat him like this, even after she drawn horrific conclusions about his adoptive daughters. He felt his anger build up inside him. "Hey, don't give me that crap! I was--..."
He trailed off, letting his reiastu die and his gaze to fall to the floor.
"...worried." He muttered before watching her handle the kids with care that he could never possess. It was obvious that before she pulled into the scene, they had been scared sick of her. He hadn't really helped the situation at all.
It hadn't crossed his mind that she was toying with them, hadn't crossed his mind that she had needed some alive, and hadn't crossed his mind that she had everything under control. He had just been trying to protect her, like he had failed to do so with... her... so many years ago.
It took him awhile before the large man started to follow her, trailing behind like a dog that someone had scolded. To be honest, he felt mad, irritated, and lost, something that made even the large Kenpachi Zaraki, fall into silence.
He watched from a distance as Aoide returned the kid to his mother, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. She would make a good mother.
Woah, where did that come from? He mentally cursed, Kenpachi decided he would be drinking early today.
"Thank you, thank you so much Aki, my Aki," the mother sobbed as Aoide handed the child off to his mother, she frowned a little as she felt a small amount of Reistu coming from the child and smirked, "When he gets older I'll come back, he might have what it takes to be a Shinigami," Aoide said ruffling the child's head, who squealed with delight and hid his face in his mother's bosoms, "Work hard, stay with your mum, and mind her, and you might get to fight me one of these days," she said with a friendly grin putting her hands on her hips before turning and looking at the scene before her. All of the children were being returned to their families, there was a lot of crying, but mostly out of happiness. Aoide smiled, maybe someday she would have a family, maybe a large one, she did like children. She glanced at the back of the crowd as saw Kenpachi staring at her and her good mood was shattered, replaced with anger.
"Come on," she scowled as she walked passed him, her Reistu taking an almost angry feel to it. As soon as they rounded the corner, Aoide spun around, "Crack," her hand swiped across Kenpachi's cheek slapping him. She looked at him with furious eyes, "If you ever jump into a fight like that again, I will never forgive you," she growled, her eyes almost dancing with Reistu, "Unlike you Zaraki-Taichou a lot of battles aren't about going in a slicing everyone up. Do you know how many kidnapping we could have stopped if you had left a few of those men alive? Hell, with their information and reports the Gotei 13 could have put a stop to the entire chain all together! I am not a child Zaraki-Taichou nor some high postitioned female that needs to be saved. I am a Shinigami and a seated officer, I know how to defend myself, so quit acting like I'm made of glass and that I'll die if yoou're not next to me trying to protect me!" Her brown eyes were filled with steel and oddly cold looking as she looked at Kenpachi, her hands on her hips. Apparently, he had gotten too comfortable with her more femine side and forgotten who she was and what she could do. She pulled back the cloth of her robe that had been covering her shoulder, her scars white against her skin, "I've fought just like you and earned all my scars as well, just like everyone else," she growled letting go of the material, "Now start respecting me as a Shinigami and not some royal house princess!"
He didn't even flinch from the slap, having almost fully expected it the moment her reiatsu flared. Although he felt angry with the way that she had acted, she did have a point. She had stood on par with Ikkaku Madarame, a man that was not easy to fight in any way.
"I understand." he said, his head cooling off slightly, however, there seemed to be a lack of emotion in his voice.
He didn't say another word before brushing past her and continuing down the street, not really seeming to care if she followed or not. Somehow, she didn't seem to realize that no matter how strong she was, she was still someone that he would fight to protect, no matter what.
Hell, Yachiru had the ability to protect herself, and damn well too. But that didn't mean the large man would let her fight at every whim, of course not! Yachiru was someone he deepy cared about, and he would protect her to the end, even though he would never admit it out loud. Hell, if Aoide didn't understand his intentions, than what would she understand about him?
He continued to walk down the street, in silence, his back turned toward her. He wasn't necessarily giving her the cold shoulder, nor was he doubting their relationship, but he did need some time to think.
After a couple long minutes, he came to a halt, before looking over his over and speaking. "Ya matter to me, y'know that?"
He sighed and turned forward again, realizing that they had made it to the center of the district. Hn, it would be a long, quiet walk home.
“I know,” Aoide said quietly after a few minutes of following after Kenpachi. She was silent as they walked, she quickened her step to catch up with him and walked beside him, she did not want to walk behind him, nor in front of him, she wanted to walk beside him, to be equal. She was confused, ahdn’t she proved herself time and time again that she was capable of protecting herself, that she could fight just like everyone else. Was it because she was a woman, no that was ridicuious, if that was the case then he would refuse to spar with her or draw her blood during these sessions. But maybe that was just how Kenpachi was, once he found something he care for he was willing to protect them no matter how much they protested. That seemed more logical, though it still fustrated her that she couldn’t do the same for him. She would try harder then, become stronger, and someday maybe she could do the same for him. She reached out, her finger interweaving with his, “I wish I was strong enough to protect you sometimes,” she mentioned, swinging their arms a little, “Because I care about you. And to lose you…it would be like half of me being taken away.”
Eh, now she was being too mussy, her cheeks flushed as she tried to change the subject, “I think I’m going to put together a report for Captain Baba-chan and see if I can do more work with the districts.”
He was surprised that she would even consider walking next to him, thinking that for sure, she would want to walk alone. But she came up alongside of him anyways, which to be honest, made him feel a little bit better. At least she wasn't ignoring him, right?
“I know."
Peh, of course she knew. He would be stupid to think that she didn't know. After all, who had he taken out to breakfast? Who had he chosen and affirmed multiple times? Heck, he was getting mushy around her, and he wasn't about to say that he didn't enjoy it.
“I wish I was strong enough to protect you sometimes. Because I care about you. And to lose you…it would be like half of me being taken away.”
Without warning, or caring about what she said about the maggot, his hands slipped around her waist and he crushed her form to himself, holding her like he was never going to let go. They stayed like that, for a few moments, before Kenpachi decided to speak.
"Don't you evah think like that." He whispered into her ear, his voice softer then usual. "Firstleh, ya never need ta protect me. That's my job to worry and it should nevah be yers."
"Secondly," He scowled, running a hand threw her hair softly and pulling it from it's braids. "I care about ye, n' I nevah wanna see you hurt."
"N' thirdly, I ain't plannin' on leavin' ya. Ya hear that. I'll do everythin' I can to stay alive, no mattah what. Because I nevah wanna see ya in pain. But ya gotta promise me to stay safe too, yeh?"
He smiled and pulled away from her, before pulling her into a soft, tender kiss. It was so ironic, to have Kenpachi Zaraki kissing a girl in public. But he wouldn't have it any other way.
"....... love ya..." He whispered almost innaudibly as they pulled away form each other.
Aoide let out a deep sigh as she was lifted off her feet and held by Kenpachi. Okay so this type of picking up she liked, it was slower and truth be told she could never get enough of him holding her. So romantic sweeping off feet was fine, but just doing it to get her to go along with him she did not. Her fingers dug into his robes, and she didn’t even protest as his hands unraveled her pigtails and her hair fell out of her favored hairstyle. She buried her face in his chest, Kenpachi, her Kenpachi, this was hime, she could spend an eternity in his arms and still crave his touch. She listened to his every word, surprising herself on how easily she keyed in on his voice when he spoke.
She didn’t care that he said that she should never worry, nor have to protect him. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she knew there would be a day that an enemy would be able to cut him down. The thought of a day without him made her cling to him even more. She could live in the dillusion that he would never die and that he would live forever with her. But though Aoide liked to dream she wouldn’t allow it, that was one fact that she made sure to remember. She would rather die next to him in battle then run away and then return to find his body. She would rather face his wrath if he survived that final battle for interfering and putting herself in danger. The he kissed her.
Aoide didn’t mean to be a worry wart, nor did she liked being stubborn. But all of her worries as well as digging her heels in disappeared when he kissed her. He had yet to figure out that if he wanted her to do something or a favor all he had to do was kiss her and then ask afterwards and she would be putty in his hands. Kissing Kenpachi was sort of like watching a bear thread a needle. The care that he took in not hurting her as well as the occasional awkwardness on dealing with the softer sex made Aoide chuckle on occasion. But his kiss, she craved it more then him holding her as her body melted again his.
“Love ya,” his voice was so quiet, yet deep it verberated through her entire being causing her to shiver and her skin to break out in goosebumps. Baka, he didn’t have to voice it, she had known, everytime he spoke to her, touched her, kissed her she knew. Because his Reistu would mellow down and his voice would get a gentle, husky sound that practically drove her wild. She looked up at him with large, sparkling eyes.
“I want children someday, a lot of them!” she bursted out before covering her mouth, her cheeks turning bright red. Why in the heck did she just say that? The affect of rescuing those children, or the fact that she wanted Kenpachi to know what she wanted in the future and to know if he wanted the samething? “Gomen, gomen,’ she repeated shaking er head.
