The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 1: Captain and Lieutenant

I pulled my cowl lower over my face as we walked towards the barracks, my black boots treading softly. The Captain of Squad 13, Jushiro Ukitake, led the way and made light conversation with me. My zanpakuto, Ikari, reverberated at my hip.

Just hold, Ikari. Soon, we will find a worthy opponent.

"Now, here is your squad," Jushiro said proudly, pointing towards the gates before me. "Captain Kenpachi Zaraki should be inside here, somewhere."

I thanked him and he left with a wave. Craning my head up, the sign Squad 11 towered over me and I grinned, a hand going to the hilt of my zanpakuto.

Pushing open the gates, I headed in, searching. Heads turned towards me and that's when I realised that everyone in the squad were guys.

So the rumours are true.

My first objective was to find Captain Kenpachi Zaraki; but someone landed in front of me, his shiny head reflecting the sunlight.

"Well, well, well. Who are you?"

I stood still, my hand tightening on my zanpakuto. Silence reigned as people moved towards us, drawn to the tense atmosphere, maybe hoping for a fight. The bald guy tilted his head, scowling, as if he was trying to peek under my cowl.

"I'll ask you again; who are you?"

"No one of importance to you, cue- ball," I scoffed, watching his face and head turn brilliant red, reminding me of a beacon. I was unable to contain my laughter, before I cleared my throat. "I'm here to see Captain Kenpachi Zaraki."

The bald guy seemed stunned for a second and I guessed it had to be because I sounded like a girl.

That's because I was one.

"The Captain doesn't have time for women. You better get a move on."

I didn't budge. He didn't shift. My hand slowly drew my zanpakuto.

"Are you challenging me?" he shouted, unsheathing his zanpakuto.

"Are you challenging me?" I mimicked.

His cheeks puffed out and he visibly shook with anger, his face turning red again.

"Homing beacon alert," I goaded. "You're attracting everyone, just calm down."

It was the last straw for him. He ran at me, swinging his zanpakuto with great speed. But I was faster.

Our swords clashed together, my arms shaking slightly from the power behind his swing. Ikari vibrated, my whole sword shaking with his presence, and I smiled at the bald man. "We just might have some fun, Ikari."

The bald man looked confused as I took a few steps back and held my sword horizontally before me. "Come on, attack again. I can't wait to fight you."

He lunged again, using the sheathe of his zanpakuto as a decoy and jabbing it into my ribs, before his sword came round from the other side. I softened the blow from the sheathe with my left hand, before dropping to a crouch to dodge his sword. The hilt of my zanpakuto rammed up under his chin as I exploded from the crouch.

He stumbled backwards, arms wind milling while I took a step forward, swinging my sword in a sweeping arc. He blocked badly, which off balanced him even more, and that gave me the chance to move in close.

I delivered a series of quick, hard blows. He fought back just as hard and we went at it for a while, dodging, attacking, throwing punches whenever we could. We both drew back several minutes later, panting for air.

"You asked before who I was," I called out to him. "I'm Kera Senbonsai, new recruit in Kenpachi's division." I flicked my cowl off, shaking my head to realign my pony tail. Then I swung into his blade again. He struggled under it as I continued to push, using my spiritual pressure as a force of pressure now as well. My skin itched as my spiritual pressure continued to increase, reaching dangerous heights, before I swept his legs out from underneath him, a dirty move, before pointing my zanpakuto just under his chin. "Now, what's your name?"

He lay panting on the ground, glaring between me and the blade before speaking. "My name is Ikkaku Madarame."

I drew back, released him but still watched him warily in case he decided to attack after standing. My left cheek started to feel like it was being lit on fire; I jabbed the hilt of my zanpakuto onto it.

My zanpakuto, at the end of the hilt, had the ability to help me control my spiritual pressure and the 'adverse' side effects that seemed to accompany unleashing too much.

When he sheathed his sword, I followed suit, tilting my head to the side. Someone with immense spiritual pressure was coming and I could hear something... strange.

Bells?

The presence appeared behind me and I gasped, feeling whoever's spiritual pressure wash over me. Turning quickly, I barely had enough time to grab the almighty, jagged sword. Pain laced up my arm and blood pooled in my palm, but I dared not let go.

"Interesting," the person, a man, said in a deep voice.

I pushed the sword off enough to draw my hand out, the sword still carrying enough momentum to crash into the ground, the sound echoing like thunder. When the dust cleared, a large crater lay just near my feet and a man with extremely spiky hair stood before me.

Blood dripped down my hand to run off the ends of my fingers. Scowling, I fisted it into my shirt to stop the flow, before taking a quick peek at it. It wasn't as deep as I thought it would be. I trained my gaze back at the man before me.

"Hmm, you're a quick one, aren't you? Who might you be?" the man asked, staring at me with his uncovered eye. His other was covered by a black patch.

Before I could answer, another voice piped in. "Hi there!" squealed a small child, waving wildly. Her short pink hair bounced around as she drew herself onto the man's shoulder.

"My name is Kera Senbonsai," I answered slowly, suspicious. I didn't know who to be warier of, the child or the man.

"Ah, Kera. Welcome. I'm Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad 11," he stated, swinging his sword so that it fitted comfortably on his shoulder. "I must say I wasn't at all impressed that the old man had sent a girl to me." Several guys snickered. "This is Yachiru, the Lieutenant of Squad 11," Kenpachi added, pointing at the child.

"And has your mind changed?" I asked bluntly, my conscious suggesting that talking back to the captain probably wasn't such a good idea.

"Huh?"

"Have you changed your mind? About letting a girl on the Squad?" I was getting slightly frustrated at this point.

"We'll see," he replied and our conversation lapsed into silence.

That is, until Yachiru jumped from Zaraki's shoulder to my own.

I grunted, leaning sideways from the weight, before she hooked her legs around my neck, seated on my shoulders and dug her fingers into my hair.

"You're my new best friend, Kera. Let's go!" she said as a way of explanation, tugging my hair in the direction she wanted to go.

"Hey, Yachiru!" I protested, while the others laughed, including the captain.

Humiliation welled inside of me; I was being ridiculed, both for being a girl and because I was being controlled by a child.

When I saw the men's eyes almost pop out of their head in fear, I understood why very quickly. Yachiru was very angry, pink spiritual pressure brushing against my cheeks and my neck. I shuddered from the feeling; this was why she was lieutenant.

"Are you laughing at my friend?" she practically snarled and everyone backed down.

"Yachiru," Kenpachi sighed and instantly, the pink spiritual pressure dropped away. I sighed in relief. I didn't really want to deal with Yachiru blowing her top on my shoulders. "Kera."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Yachiru is in your care for now; when you come back, we'll discuss your ranking."

With that, we were dismissed and Yachiru went back to trying to lead me away by my hair. But no one laughed anymore and I felt a bit better. Especially now that I had been accepted.

Finally, I found the place that I could finally be myself; no more hiding or holding back. I smiled to myself.

"Come on Kera! Let's get some candy!"