A Shinigami Valentine

The first day on patrol passed slowly by. Their path led the group of twelve shinigami through the first five Districts of East Rukongai. Their presence brought the people from their homes to watch the shinigami pass. The buildings were sturdy, most of the occupants clean. The streets were crowded with displaced souls, especially children, eagerly going about their daily business. Akina tried to stay alert. All the warnings from her friends and Zaraki ran through her head. But images and memories of him and the way he made her feel, jostled for center stage in her troubled mind. Leaving had been hard but she wanted to look at the separation as an opportunity. An opportunity to clear her head and make sure what she was feeling was real. She was sure that it was just the temporary rush of passion. But sometimes, when he looked at her a certain way, she wasn't so positive.

The first night, their patrol group slept under the stars outside the town of Odawara, in the fifth district. Guard duty was split between four squad members, with two on post at the same time. Akina volunteered for the first round. Despite the weariness she felt in her body, her mind was restless. Zaraki dominated her thoughts. She sat atop a large rock at the western end of their camp staring out at the tall trees that encircled the camp. She wondered what he and Yachiru were doing right then. It was late, perhaps Yachiru had already been put to bed, she thought with a smile. Zaraki would be relaxing on his back porch, sipping sake and watching the stars. Akina looked up at the night sky. A few stars sparkled against the black background despite the scattered clouds. They would be seeing the same stars, she thought with a smile. She suddenly felt closer to him than she had all day.

"It's good to see you smile." Tetsuzaemon said as he walked up behind her. She glanced back at the big man. He had removed his dark sunglasses. It was a rare sight to see his clear green eyes.

"I was just enjoying the view." she replied softly as he settled next to her on the rock.

"Don't lie to me. You're thinking about Zaraki." he said, looking skyward.

"I can think about him and still enjoy the view." she said with a smile.

"He really seems taken with you, Akina." Tetsuzaemon noted quietly, pulling a pipe from some invisible pocket. She watched as he lit it, taking a slow drag.

"He says I belong to him." she admitted in a low voice. Tetsuzaemon's gaze flickered over to her as he asked,

"Is that why you're covered with bite marks?"

"Kinda...yeah." she laughed. He shook his head, looking away.

"I never would've figured the two of you would end up together." he said with a sigh. "I always figured you'd go for some nobleman."

"Oh, please!" she laughed easily, shifting slightly to keep her bottom from growing numb on the cold, hard rock.

"Well, just be careful. Captain Zaraki's a great man but he's violent and quick tempered. And you got a smart mouth, Akina. I don't want to see you get hurt." he said, standing slowly.

"He'd never hurt me." she assured him.

"Stay alert. I'm hoping we don't run into any arrancar. Most of these kids haven't seen their first battle yet. It'd be a blood bath." Tetsuzaemon said grimly. He glanced through the trees one last time then walked away. She focused her gaze on her surroundings, shifting her eyes slightly so that she could pick up any traces of spiritual pressure. There was none. For Akina, it was a quiet, uneventful and lonely night. After six hours, she was relieved by a young shinigami who looked as if he hadn't slept any.

"Kioshi, you sure you're up for this?" she asked him skeptically. The black-haired youth nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, I'm good. I can't wait til we run into those arrancar bastards. I want to get even with Captain Aizen for what he did. He betrayed us all." the tall, thin young man said bitterly. Akina suddenly remembered that he'd transferred in from Aizen's former squad, Division 5, after Aizen's departure. He obviously carried some deep-seeded hatred for his former Captain.

"Just keep your eyes open. These attacks have been coming fast." she warned him. He nodded, his gaze locked on the dark, shadowy trees. Akina was hesitant to leave him but her body was demanding sleep.

"I won't be far away." she told him, suppressing a yawn. "Just call me if you get sleepy or need some help."

"I'm fine, Akina. Get some sleep." he snapped darkly, visibly resentful of her mothering ways.

"Okay. Goodnight, Kioshi." she called out as she walked away to find a soft spot of ground to sleep on.

xxxxxxxx

A sudden scream of pain and a rush of spiritual pressure pulled Akina out of a dead sleep. She'd been dreaming of Zaraki and the things he could do with his mouth. Confused, she looked around the campsite. Shinigami were scrambling wildly. Another scream ripped through the night followed a deafening roar.

"Hollows." she whispered, on her feet and grabbing her sword before the word had fully left her lips. She turned towards the western edge of their camp. Two towering hollows were locked in a bitter combat with several shinigami. The hollows looked like twin bears. Taller than the trees behind them, covered in black fur with sharp, snapping teeth and claws. The masks of bone were drawn up in a constant snarl as they lashed at three shinigami fighting against them.

"Shit!" she cried out, rushing forward. A scream from behind her caught her attention and stopped her feet. Turning, she saw three more hollows. One was on all fours with a thick, pointed snout of bone. The rat-like hollow's sharp teeth gnashed wildly as two shinigami fought it back vigorously. Beside it scuttled a spider-like hollow that wobbled unsteadily as Tetsuzaemon hacked at it's legs. The third, and largest, of the three hollows rushed towards her. It was long and reptile-like with a pointed mouth full of razor sharp, white teeth. Despite it's wide girth, it stood tall on thick muscular legs. Akina watched as one of the shinigami attacked it's underside, only to be trampled under it's clawed feet. It's hollow mask extended down the crocodile-like monster's snout to form a tapered horn of bone that jutted out a good four feet in front of it.

The hollow moved fast, nearly gouging her with it's strange horn. Akina dodged to the right. It rushed past her, driving it's bony horn deep into Kioshi's gut. Blood sprayed as it tossed it's head in the air, goring Kioshi then tossing him aside in a crumpled, bloody mess.

"No!" Akina screamed, running forward. She leaped onto a large rock then focused her spirit energy to catapult herself onto the creature's back, driving her katana through the top of it's head. The hollow bellowed loudly, bucking wildly under her. It's rough jerky movements sent Akina flying off it's back, her zanpakuto still embedded in it's skull. Akina flew through the air, slamming hard against a wide oak tree. She grunted in pain then slid slowly to the ground. The monster was still raging through the camp, it's blood pouring out in waves. Akina forced herself to her feet, running after it. Kioshi was writhing in pain as she reached him. Bright red blood ran from his open stomach wound. She could see loops of bowel oozing from the large, gaping wound.

"Hold on." she ordered the young man. He stared up at her with fear-filled eyes.

"I need to borrow this." she said to him, picking up his discarded sword. The unfamiliar blade felt strange in her hand as she moved forward. She could feel the zanpakuto's spirit resisting her.

"Sorry but I don't have a choice." she murmured softly to the sword, swinging the weapon high to hack at the throat of the crocodile hollow. Another shinigami distracted the creature with a frontal attack while Akina slashed a wide gash across the monster's neck. It cried out in pain, turning on her. She slid underneath the hollow's front leg as it snapped at the spot where she had been standing only seconds before. A loud scream ripped through the air as the other shinigami finished the job, shattering the hollow's mask with a blow to the head. The hollow disintegrated in a cloud of black dust.

Akina staggered to her feet. Her ribs hurt a little but basically she was unharmed. She looked around the once quiet campsite. Blood covered the dirt and grass. Several shinigami lay injured and being cared for by other shinigami. The hollows were gone. Dispatched by her other squad members. Tetsuzaemon hurried up to her. Blood ran down the side of his face, disappearing into his pencil-thin mustache.

"You hurt?" he demanded. She stared at him blankly for a moment before saying,

"No, I'm fine. Koishi's been hurt really bad though. The thing gutted him."

"Shijo's working on him. He's the best man we've got when it comes to healing kido. You sure you're okay? You got a weird look on your face." he asked, shaking her arm slightly.

"I'm fine. Just a little bruised. I'm sorry. It's just...it's like they came outta nowhere. There was nothing out there when I went to bed. Nothing." she tried to explain. Tetsuzaemon nodded with a grim expression.

"They came from Hueco Mundo. I saw the second pair appear. The Gargantua that opened up...there was an arrancar standing there, controlling it." he spat the words out.

"They targeted us." Akina whispered, the realization hitting her slowly. He nodded again.

"I gotta go check on Koishi. Go around and make sure we don't have any other walking wounded. I already sent a message back to the Sereitei that we need reinforcements. I'll send the wounded back at sunrise. Shit, we're gonna be a skeleton patrol after that." he growled, walking away.

Morning came quickly. Akina watched as three of her squad members were carried back to the Sereitei by four other members. The remaining five member patrol continued deeper into the Rukongai. Jumpy and bone tired, they moved slowly. Tetsuzaemon had decided to avoid the more populated areas to keep the civilians safe if the hollows attacked again. Not that it mattered, Akina thought as they skirted a small town in District 7. The further away from the Sereitei they moved, the more rundown and desolate the towns became. The forests grew thicker and the people more rare. The few they encountered were rough, dangerous looking sorts that hurried away from the shinigami nervously. Their presence here was not welcome.

The next two days passed uneventfully by. They continued to stick to the woods, making their way slowly through the thick brush and overgrown paths. Akina enjoyed the isolation and the greenery. She wasn't much of a people person at the best of times. This was definitely not the best of times. The tension was thick. They were just waiting for the next attack. It never came which made the tension even worse. Constantly aware of their reduced numbers and that they had been individually targeted seemed to wear on the remaining five shinigami, especially Tetsuzaemon. Akina knew that he considered himself personally responsible for the injured men. This responsibility seemed to be weighing heavier on him with each passing day.

On their fourth day of patrol, they entered the town of Niihama in District 33. It was a small collection of buildings that represented the best the town had to offer...a tavern, a whorehouse and a general store. Dirty, dilapidated houses had grown up around it. The people of the town had a hungry, haunted look that put Akina's raw nerves even further on edge. She knew it was nothing compared to the far outer districts. They were wild and lawless there. At least here, there was some semblance of civilization. But she recognized the desperation she saw in their eyes. People like this could be dangerous.

Tetsuzaemon allowed them a decent meal in the tavern while they awaited the arrival of their seven replacement squad members. They had received word that they were on their way and would rendezvous with the patrol group in the small town of Niihama. Akina was looking forward to the arrival of the backup. They were all running on little or no sleep. Guard duty had to be split evenly among them and with their reduced numbers, it left them little time to actually rest. Exhaustion and dealing with the constant, imminent danger was taking it toll.

Her pack, which had seemed so light in the beginning, now felt like it was filled with bricks. She shifted it off her back and sat down on one of the stiff wooden chairs in the small, dimly lit tavern. A bar lined one side of the darkened room. A huge stone fireplace dominated the opposite wall. In between was a scattering of small rickety tables and chairs that had seen better days. Only two people lingered in the tavern at this early hour. A man sat hunched over a glass and a bottle of sake near the back of the room. He watched the shinigami with a dark, guarded expression. Near the bar stood a woman with a heavily lined face and dingy blond hair. Though she couldn't be much older than Akina, the toll of her life showed on her face. She walked over to the table where Akina and Tetsuzaemon sat first.

"You want food or alcohol?" she asked coldly. The woman looked as if she had once been a beauty but now she was too thin, too rough and too used looking to catch the eye of many men.

"Food." Tetsuzaemon snapped. "For everyone."

"We ain't got much but I could fix you up some rice and vegetables." she offered, smiling at him invitingly. He grimaced, looking away as he said,

"Whatever you got will be fine."

The woman walked away but not without a backwards glance at the muscular, black-haired man.

"She likes you." Akina teased him. He shuddered involuntarily.

"That is exactly my kinda luck." he complained. "That's the kinda girl I attract."

Akina laughed, relaxing slightly. It felt good to laugh. As always seemed to happen the moment she relaxed her guard, thoughts of Zaraki filled her mind. She missed him. She missed his grin, his laugh, his kiss, his touch...she missed everything about him. But mostly, she missed the two of them together. There was something so comfortable, so gloriously peacefully about being in his presence. It seemed like forever since she felt that relaxed.

"Tomorrow we're supposed to stop in Buzen in District 40. We're gonna spend the night in a local inn." he commented, keeping a close eye on his men.

"An inn!" Akina cried out. He looked over at her with a grin.

"Yeah, an inn. The rooms are already booked. I'm gonna just draw names or something to decide who gets to stay at the inn and who's got to stand patrol that night." he continued with a sigh.

"Oh man! I hope I get to stay in the inn. I can't wait. A real bed...a bath! Oh my god! I would kill for a bath." she said happily. Just the thought that she might get to stay indoors for the night was enough to lift the pall that had settled over her four nights before.

"You got the same chance as everybody else, Akina." he laughed. She smiled.

"A slim chance is better than none." she declared happily.

The replacement shinigami arrived halfway through their lunch. The seven shinigami stepped into the tavern en masse. There were six men and one woman. Though they had traveled rapidly through the Rukongai to join the patrol, they looked rested and refreshed. Akina saw the woman, a tall, robust looking young woman with short black hair, and cried out excitedly,

"Mai!"

"Akina!" the other girl squealed, rushing forward as Akina stood. They hugged each other tightly. They were two of only a handful of women in Division 7. They had a special bond though they rarely worked together.

"I am so happy to see you guys." Akina said softly as they walked over to the table where Tetsuzaemon stood talking to Kaito Kimura, the highest ranking of the new shinigami.

"How many attacks?" she heard Tetsuzaemon ask the younger, thinner man with wild brown hair.

"Three. One each night. We followed the original route and came up on the aftermath of each attack." Kimura explained quietly.

"What's going on?" Akina asked. Tetsuzaemon's face was tight and pinched.

"The hollow's have been attacking the towns...where we would have been had we stuck to the original planned route. They were looking for us." he explained bitterly. The breath caught in Akina's throat. It didn't make sense.

"How could they possibly know?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Does the Sereitei know about this yet?" Tetsuzaemon asked Kimura sharply.

"No, sir. I didn't want to take the time." Kimura replied quickly. Tetsuzaemon nodded, staring at the floor, concentrating.

"It doesn't make sense." Mai whispered, her earlier levity gone.

"Eat. We're heading out as soon as we're done. I have to send word to the Sereitei. They need to know that we've got someone feeding Aizen information as soon as possible. Akina, keep everyone here until we're done. I don't want people wandering around town. This was a scheduled stop. We're vulnerable as long as we're here." Tetsuzaemon ordered them intently. Akina watched him hurry out into the bright sunlight. The flash of warmth did little to chase her sudden fear away.


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As always, thank you to those of you who have taken the time to review my story. I hope you will continue to let me know what you think. Reviews are wonderful things!