Meeting the former captain was a great way to shake things up.
Fortunately, however, our paths didn’t cross again after that.
Sadly, it also turned out to be the last interesting event before the induction ceremony itself.
There was absolutely nothing to do at the Academy for the time being.
The training grounds hadn’t opened yet, and access to the Kido section of the library was strictly restricted.
The only moments of fun I had took place within my inner world during meditation.
It was no wonder the aristocrats preferred to wait out this period somewhere else.
But for me, homeless and penniless, such luxury was unavailable.
Amidst the idle downtime, and under the pretext of looking after him while he was unwell, I managed to grow a little closer to Jushiro.
By the standards of ancient Japan, he was a rather gentle man, yet fair.
It was surprisingly easy to be friends with him.
It was really no wonder that, as seen in the flashbacks, so many people used to gather around him.
He invited me over for tea a few times, since his roommate happened to be away.
It seemed Hachigen was the only one unlucky in that regard.
During one of these tea sessions, I learned that Jushiro was the eldest child of the Ukitake family.
When I asked whether he had a brother or a sister, his answer completely floored me.
It would seem that five younger brothers are already quite a lot.
But on top of that, there were two younger sisters.
Eight children!
Dear Ukitake parents, isn’t that a bit excessive?
Or did the firstborn’s illness worry you that much?
“People always react like that,” he wiped his watery eyes when he finished laughing at my expression.
“That’s why it’s my favorite part of talking about family.”
“Well, it’s hard to blame us for such a reaction,” I said, throwing up my hands.
“Even for the World of the Living this is a fairly large number…”
Just to be safe, I didn’t comment out loud on his parents’ efforts to carry on the Ukitake line.
After all, jokes about your parents’ sex life are reserved for really close friends.
I also learned that he had dark hair as a child and went white after one of his attacks.
That didn’t surprise me, though — his eyebrows had kept their original black color.
“Forgive me for asking something so personal, but why did you decide to become a Shinigami in the first place?” I asked.
“Given the state of your health, it’s going to be, to put it mildly, no easy task.”
“It’s no secret, but…” He shrugged, gazing into the bottom of his cup.
“I just don’t have a satisfactory answer.
Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, too?”
“Of course,” I nodded.
“I don’t really have much to tell, though, but I’ll give it a try.”
“So, Kaoru-san, what is your reason for becoming a Shinigami?” He cast a searching glance at me, trying to confirm something.
But what, exactly?
I have no idea.
I certainly wasn’t about to spin him some heart-wrenching tale about losing loved ones or seeking revenge against Hollows, or any other kind of enemy.
“Like most people from the outlying districts, I simply have no other prospects,” I replied without hesitation.
“I have no family, no home.
Becoming a bandit with my level of spiritual power is dangerous — they might send a patrol to wipe me out.
Living as an ordinary civilian isn’t an option for me, either.
Since it turned out I have the potential to become a Shinigami…
can anyone blame me for wanting a better life?
So here I am, trying to make something of myself.
Maybe I’ll even achieve something greater than just becoming a top ten officer in one of the divisions.”
I don’t know if that was what he expected, but my answer didn’t trigger any storm of emotion in him.
He simply nodded slowly a few times.
“To tell the truth, our reasons are somewhat similar,” the white-haired boy said thoughtfully, setting aside his cup.
“I’m the first in several generations of my family to possess enough spiritual power to enter the Academy.
What’s more, the volume is quite impressive, even for the First Class.
We aren’t exactly wealthy, so despite my illness, I came here to realize my potential and elevate the Ukitake name.”
“Then good luck to both of us,” I grinned.
“We’re certainly going to need it.
Let’s just hope another war doesn’t break out in the next few hundred years, may the Soul King forbid it.”
We clasped our hands in prayer and murmured a short mantra.
“By the way, Kaoru-san,” his eyes gleamed with interest, “I’ve noticed you often mention Gensei.
Do you actually remember your past life?”
“At times…” I admitted, offering a partial truth.
Full memories of my life in Gensei had been erased by the Kototsu, yet another, more distant life remained quite vivid in my mind.
“Sometimes I catch myself remembering how to use different kinds of cutlery…
or more convenient writing instruments.
I might have even known several languages and gone by a completely different name… Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
just all sorts of little inconsistencies, really.”
It wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence for me to have to keep things under wraps.
Many souls, after death, retain at least some memories of their past lives or the time they spent as ghosts, like that kid from the canon who’d been trapped in a parrot’s body.
After being transported to Soul Society, he recognized Sado Yasutora and the rest of the gang.
I even tried to take advantage of this by grilling the souls in Zaraki’s district about what era it was back on Earth, but I never got a coherent answer.
Some would mumble about the end of the Kamakura Shogunate, while others spoke of the capital moving to Heian.
I even ran into a Chinese guy once who was going on about the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms…
In short, I never did find out.
Well, I’m no expert on ancient Asian history.
What can you do?
“Wow…” Jushiro was clearly impressed.
“Forgive my bluntness, but as a soul born in the Soul Society, I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”
“It’s nothing special,” I said, waving it off.
“Mostly just annoying and sometimes confusing.”
After another half-hour of idle chatter, I returned to my room.
The boredom was coming to an end, the ceremony was tomorrow.
Settling in for a quiet night before the big day, I was just about to go to sleep when a drunken figure stumbled into the room.
Naturally, I sprang up instantly, ready to fight for my life.
Habits like that aren’t easily shaken off.
“Good evening, neighbor,” a friendly voice called out.
I shifted my gaze to the visitor.
A young man with wavy brown hair, a goatee, and both eyes in their proper places—for the time being.
He held a bottle of alcohol in one hand and gave me a lazy wave with the other.
And who else could it be but Shunsui Kyoraku?
Even the face is identical, only there are fewer wrinkles.
Wearing his trademark smile, he ceremoniously handed me the unfinished bottle as if it were a precious gift, then collapsed onto the futon with a dull thud.
“Wake me up in the morning, would you?” he mumbled, his voice muffled because his face was buried in the pillow.
“Otherwise, Old Man Yama will chew my ear off…”
“Alright…” I agreed uncertainly, yet without much protest, shaking the bottle in my hands.
So that’s who my neighbor is going to be?
Great.
Now I won’t have to make anything up or look for excuses to get acquainted.
Quest: The Start of a New Life IV
Description: It would be quite unfortunate to oversleep the Initiation Ceremony at an institution as prestigious as the Academy of Spiritual Arts.
The negative impact on your reputation among teachers and fellow students could be catastrophic.
Objective: Arrive at the ceremony on time
(Optional): Get Shunsui Kyoraku to the ceremony on time by any means necessary
(Optional): Finish the “gift” from your new roommate
I looked at the bottle again.
You know what?
Golden, Cobalt—no training for us today.
Wake me up if anything goes wrong.
With great pleasure, I downed the remaining half-liter of sake in one go.
Tasty, but a bit weak.
I wonder how much he drank to get into that state?
Doesn’t matter.
Good night, girls.
“You realize we have the chance to do the funniest thing in the world right now, █████?” Cobalt’s voice rang out in my head.
“Hmm…
indeed,” Golden replied.
I started to get worried.
“But I refuse!”
…
The next morning, I woke up on time and in high spirits.
My Zanpakuto didn’t even have to wake me.
It’s good to be young.
After putting on a clean uniform and combing my hair, I tried to wake the young alcoholic.
First with words, then with nudges…
In the end, even light slaps didn’t work.
The bastard was out cold.
Trying to splash him with water didn’t work either, but at least now the stench of his stale booze won’t cling to me.
Oh, if only you knew how much I wanted to grab him by the head, shove it deep into the sink, and hold it there until he stopped thrashing.
I’d have happily just dumped him into a water barrel…
and blasted him with a Byakurai, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be forgiven for damaging Academy property.
Besides, mistreating the young heir of the Kyoraku Clan could get me executed.
His brother must still be alive.
Wait, no.
He’s married to the Head of the Ise Clan, so he can’t be the heir…
Never mind.
Fine.
The quest said to “get” him, not “wake” him.
His condition, alas, wasn’t specified.
So, drag him it is.
With a clear conscience, I grabbed him by the collar, hoisted his body comfortably onto my shoulder, and hauled him off to the venue.
Chaos reigned at the ceremonial grounds.
Students from our glorious Academy were milling about haphazardly, like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.
The group supervisors were trying to organize them into neat rows…
but with little success.
Well, we still had an hour, good luck to them.
Unfortunately, as First Class students, we had to stand in the front rows in front of the podium where our comrade Captain-Commander and also the Headmaster, Yamamoto Genryusai-sama, would give his speech.
To keep Shunsui from appearing before such distinguished company in a truly unsightly state, I somehow got him onto his feet and held him by the back of the head, like a marionette.
To be honest, I suspected he was merely feigning sleep and playing along.
Otherwise, how would I have brought a completely unconscious body, even though it was hanging on my shoulder, into a standing position?
Yet, I kept up our circus act.
Likely with Kyoraku’s own silent approval.
Hachigen, looking panicked, silently mouthed the question: “What are you doing?” I simply gave him a thumbs-up, while Jushiro covered his mouth, shaking with laughter or perhaps a coughing fit.
Though judging by the wheezing, it was definitely laughter too.
Our more snobbish classmates cast disapproving glances our way, those with a sense of humor chuckled, and everyone else watched with interest.
This soon reached our curator, who seemed to have already relaxed, thinking that he had handled the organization…
Until he noticed this disgrace.
I would later learn his name.
Goro Onabara.
A big, bald, muscular guy and not a bad fellow, really.
Anyway, Goro didn’t yell at Kyoraku and me, nor did he reprimand us.
He simply squeezed his eyes shut and began furiously rubbing the bridge of his nose, grinding his teeth.
“Name?” he asked wearily.
“Kaoru, Sensei,” I replied, as confidently as I could.
“Was it Shunsui who asked you to arrange this farce?” he sighed heavily.
“No, Sensei.
He simply asked me to wake him up, but I failed to do so,” I answered, suppressing a smile.
After another breath, much heavier this time, I felt a huge shadow looming over me.
It seems that I was accidentally hit by this pressure, but how could it be otherwise…
I was still serving as a support for the unconscious body.
“Yamamoto-sama!
Shunsui got drunk again and was harassing noblewomen!” I had expected a different reaction…
but certainly not for the overseer to stage a scene right in front of me just to scare a wayward student.
And it worked.
The body in my grasp jerked, and his legs finally steadied.
“It’s a slanderous lie!
I only had a little bit to drink!” Kyoraku flailed his arms in a panic.
“Oh, it’s you, Goro-sensei.
How are things?”
“Splendid, Shunsui-kun,” the furrow between our supervisor’s brows deepened.
“I’m glad you made it to the ceremony after all.
I imagine you wouldn’t want to disappoint Headmaster Yamamoto?”
“Huh?” Kyoraku looked around, finally realizing where he was.
“Well, of course not.
How could I upset Old Man Yama?
Haha…”
He finished his awkward laugh but still tried to compose himself and take his place beside me.
“You’re certainly an interesting person,” he said to me in a loud whisper.
“But thanks.”
“You’re very welcome,” I said, shrugging nonchalantly.
Soon, everyone had lined up as required, and the “ceremony” began.
Our director, teachers and, judging by the white haori with squad numbers… captains come onto the stage.
Aside from Unohana, I didn’t recognize a single soul.
The Information Note I’d been given had provided nothing more than a couple of images and their names.
That stingy, stingy Tite Kubo.
Holy crap.
It wasn’t until I saw the old man with the long black mustache and his hair tied up in a traditional Japanese style that I truly grasped just how far I’d ended up from home.
I was actually looking at a Yamamoto who didn’t look all that old.