InsaneJournal

Who: Yachiru, Gin
What: training talk and testing boundaries
When: Umm...a bit ago! I forgot to post this too.
Where: Gin’s house
Rating: Low to Medium, mostly cuz of thinking about bloodbaths and talk of killings and such.
Status: Complete!



Yachiru had to admit that she was a bit excited for this experiment. She knew her usual role within the Yakuza group had been simply the infiltrator. It was her task to slip in and out of places unnoticed, to do things that most other people couldn’t because she was just that sneaky when she really tried. She was sneaky even when she didn’t try, but she was worse when she put her mind to it. But Gin had agreed to show her his job, if nothing else than so she could protect herself.

She’d never been afraid of blood or danger. Maybe that was why she and Kenny got on so well. Kenny was usually scary to most people because of his battle thirst and his desire to constantly fight. But to Yachiru? He was nothing special. He was everything that she needed, everything that she wasn’t. She’d been discovered by him in a bath of blood, unafraid of the sword that he had even though it could have meant that maybe he’d been the one to cause all that destruction in the first place. Kenny had kept her out of blood and danger since that night, but now Yachiru was curious herself, and on her own without Kenny.

So, she made her way to Gin’s house, breaking in almost without thinking about it now that she’d been there a few times, and sat herself down in the kitchen to happily play with the ferrets as she waited for Gin to make his appearance. If Jessie showed up, at least she had the excuse that Gin was going to show her his work today. Her outfit was nothing that would give her away, either, just casual jeans and a tee shirt.

Gin was being a lazy ass and fell asleep after a few too many drinks of sake, the night before. He walked out of his room wearing a droopy white tank top and pale blue boxers, hair sticking up in all sorts of funny directions, and the characteristic smile not on his face.

He never could figure out how Rangiku drank as much as she did without wanting to cut her own head off the next day, even if they weren't human. Hangovers could be murderous for Humans or Shinigami.

Those thoughts were interrupted when he heard the scuffle of ferrets and noticed the spiritual pressure of another individual in the kitchen. It wasn't hard to recognize the freight train of energy that was Yachiru. At least he knew who it was that was in there, and remembered why she was there, as well.

"Ahh, Pinky~chan," he said as Gin walked, barefoot, out to the kitchen area. He started to heat up some water for making a cup of tea. "Sorry, I kinda slept in. Ya here for your lesson?"

Truth be told, he wasn't sure that Kenpachi would like the idea or that the Yakuza would approve, even if the girl did need to be able to defend herself. Despite that, it wasn't like Gin cared about pissing off Kenpachi or anyone else, too much. Sure, he liked the money and his job, but he also was joined up strictly so he could weed out his own personal target and get revenge. Everything else was simply icing on a delicious cake. One that was not made of lies, in his case, but contained several shades of feigned forgetfulness and highly evasive answers.
Now that Yachiru had begun developing her dreams, she could also detect Gin’s spiritual pressure for the first time. Her head tilted to the side as she felt him coming close, amused and curious as to what this new sensation was of someone else around her with that same pressure. If she concentrated these days, she could sense Renji and Toshiro as well. She could even, barely, pick up on Ichi’s friend Orihime, though the girl’s spiritual pressure was hardly powerful. Still, for a human to even have detectable spiritual pressure was fairly amazing in and of itself.

The pink-haired girl stared at Gin for a few seconds before she responded once he appeared. His physical appearance didn’t really bother Yachiru. She just shrugged, letting it be as it was. He was at home, after all. Toying with the ferrets absently, Yachiru sent a beaming smile towards Gin and nodded. “Eeee, yep! I’m here!” she remarked playfully, “though, I hope you’re making two cups of tea, because it’s not nice to not share with your guest!” Never mind that Yachiru had broken in as per usual and wasn’t really invited over. That was just a, well, a glitch. Something to overlook. “And good, you didn’t forget!” She grinned cheerfully, as if this was just a normal conversation about making dinner or something simple like that.

If it was the same sort of pressure to Yachiru, then it was only because Gin masked a lot of his. If it was well aimed and purposefully directed, it could knock lesser individuals out. He certainly wasn't like Ichigo Kurosaki, who had the bad and very traceable habit of letting his considerable spirit energy leak all over the place, unchecked. Gin knew too well from the moment he remembered everyone from his dreams, that he didn't want to have Mayuri Kurotsuchi trying to track him with any sort of meter, either, and they had what could only be considered an unspoken watchful waiting pact, where if one made a wrong move, the other was going to strike. It was simply very, very unfortunate that Mayuri would be perceived in the right for doing so. Luckily the psycho tranny had his nose shoved in whatever he was working on, which was probably something that Gin didn't particularly want to know about.

"Ah ya, 'cause we know it's rude not to give the burglar somethin' to drink." His smirk returned as he silently took out another cup for his impromptu guest. He tilted his head to one side as he asked, "Nope, didn't forget. So do ya want some cake an' ice cream, too? An' we'll get an idea of what ya really wanna get into with this."

If Gin had ever had kids - not that he really felt the need to have any - then he would probably be the most popular parent ever for giving sweets to start off the day. They would also be jacked up enough to bounce off a ceiling and rip tile flooring up with their teeth. For that would amuse him. Oh yes. It would.

“Eeee, snakey-chan! I’m not a burglar! You told me I could visit! Just because I don’t knock doesn’t mean that I’m just a burglar.” Yachiru grinned brightly, hopping up onto a table so she could be closer to his eye level. “But okay, sure! If you have some, I’ll take some!”

She kicked her feet back and forth contentedly, seemingly not caring much about anything around her, but her eyes were already taking in everything that she could see. She was also curious to see what he could say about everything that was going on at this moment, about what he was willing to do for her before she’d speak herself.

By that time, there was probably a stump where his wisteria plant used to be, outside the big, mostly glass walls that let his persimmon trees and backyard garden be seen from the main part of the house. The house, which was in it's usual pristine clean and white condition, with not much out of place. It couldn't be, because it was purposefully kept modern and minimalist. That was to the point that it was almost sterile and gave away little clues about the owner's real taste, likes, hobbies...or devious deeds.

The ferrets and Jessie's pets were really the only pizzazz in the whole place. Go fig.

While pouring the tea, Gin stuck out his lower lip and blew some strands of his silvery hair out of his eyes. He made sure to not only dump a significant amount of sugar and honey into Yachiru's, before sliding the cup over toward her, and placing a big bag of colorful rock sugar candy next to it.

"Ken-chan never taught you nothin' first-hand about killing anyone. So I guess I better ask why you're so interested now in it, unless you're plannin' to branch out into killin' marks. In which case, I can't teach you everythin' I know." Gin shrugged apologetically, but he wasn't sorry in the least bit. She needed to talk to the higher ups for that, and he had to keep several tricks of the trade up his own sleeves, because he wasn't going to stab himself in his own foot by teaching another person much. Certainly not past what he considered to be some sadistically basic self-defense. "This' for if ya get caught while you're sneakin' in somewhere or other. "If ya wanna know more, you're gonna have to talk to those higher ups. Everything I know's from gettin' an early start."

Earlier than Yachiru. But there was no room for those kind of regrets.

Yachiru’s own skills caused her to lose calories fast, and now with her added spiritual pressure, she could eat obscene amounts of sugar and not feel anything different. That was just how she was. “No, he hasn’t.” Yachiru was oddly serious, in a way that she’d probably only show a select few people. Kenny, for one, and maybe a few other Captains she’d been that calm with them. “He never needed to. He’s always been there, to be the one who would be able to kill. But it’s my earliest memory, of Kenny killing.” Yachiru tilted her head a moment. “It never scared me.”

She wasn’t sure what that would make of her, but it was what it was. “Kay. I never get caught, but if you say so. It’s…” Yachiru tilted her head a moment, then shrugged, adding lightly, “it’s because I’m also curious. And, don’t worry, Snakeychan. I wouldn’t do anything to get you in trouble. If I did, who would I get my candy from?” She grinned, back to her cheerful self as she popped some of his candies into her mouth.

Truth be told? Every Shinigami or person with spiritual power was going to eat like a horse. If there was food around? It would be scarfed down in an instant, and anyone else was going to be left with a sad tumbleweed of a crumb, blown across a tabletop, while lonely cowboy whistling music played in the background.

Meanwhile. Gin's smile was toned down as he listened to what she was saying, before he drew in a deep breath and let it all out as one long, slow, and silent sigh. He figured out that Yachiru wasn't going to shy away from the blood, but if she did get caught...not that he wanted to think about that too much...she wasn't a little kid like she was in the dreams. And some of the people they were around wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a girl, so it was better she learn now, in case her luck ran out.

"Ain't gonna mince no words. Since Ken-chan innit here, there might come a time when ya do get caught. An' on the off chance that happens, I don' want that on my head if somethin' did happen to ya."

He shrugged and took a drink off his tea, after making a show of puffing up his cheeks and puffing on it a few times to cool it off faster.

"If ya gotta knife,” he continued saying, “ya better keep it somewhere you can reach it, if someone's got ya pinned down, or tied up. A lotta times they won’t bother with handcuffs. They'll jus' use what's cheap and nearby, an' they'll tie ya up with electrical cords or duct tape. Rule number one's to keep the knife where ya can reach it if ya get hogtied. Behind your back or even up a sleeve somewhere. If they're in a hurry an' they frisk ya down your sides, they might miss it. You're squiggly, probably 'cause of all that sugar you're eatin', so I think that this part innit a issue."

So sayeth the guy who had tied up a few of his victims, but they never got a chance to get away.

Drinking her tea comfortably, never mind their topic of choice, Yachiru smiled lightly over at her companion at this moment. “Kenny wouldn’t have let me come here without making sure I was able to defend myself. Plus, he knew you were here.” Yachiru grinned, but there was a dangerous glint to her eyes, as if she were analyzing a victim or preparing to figure out what to do when facing a difficult situation.

It was also her hidden way of saying that Kenny had expected that Gin would step in when he wasn’t there. “So, got one, here!” She pulled out two knives, actually, both gifts from Kenny when she’d been coming to the United States. One was tucked away in her shoe, but she had a second, smaller one, tucked neatly into her bright pink hair . She pulled it out and tossed it lightly into the air, smiling gently.

Well? Gin did get away with tying Ken~chan up once before and hauling him off before he could pick a real fight with Byakuya, during a really bad time. So it's not like he didn't like the guy. Most people would've simply stayed out of the way, but that wasn't Gin's style.

He arched his back a little so it made a popping noise and then turned to study the knives. There was no way he was going to give away any of his powers or swiftness around her, by swiping it out of midair. Instead, he took the more laidback approach.

"Those suit ya, Pinky," Gin said with a smile and a nod in the affirmative. "If Kenpachi got those for ya, he probably knew they were sendin' you somewhere not too safe. Even so? If I ain't around, you're gonna have ta use 'em if things go bad. An' seein' someone kill a lotta people can still be different, than ya doin' it with your own hands. You're either gonna hate it or you aren't gonna care. If they're bad people, then it's a ton easier."

He turned mischievous when he slowly creeped an index finger toward her, and lightly began poking spots by her ribs and around vulnerable points, which might make her sguiggle and giggle, depending on how much sugar she consumed. It wasn't anything like skeezy bad touching, even if he was treating it like a joke. Which it actually wasn't.

"All these spots...those're good spots to stick them knives in. 'Specially where I touched ya on your neck. A lotta the time, ya poke someone there or get a good slice in, an' they'll flail around so ya don' haveta do much else. Jus' sit back, eat candy, an' watch."

Yachiru wasn’t a fool. She knew that things could be different now that Kenpachi wasn’t around her all the time. Even if he did come to California, it might take him time to regain his memories of himself as a Soul Reaper rather than just Kenpachi Zaraki, a Yakuza group assassin. Granted, Kenpachi was more of a thug than something else. Yachiru smiled a bit at Gin’s recognition of what she had, and she gave him a look when he began to poke her in certain places. She obliged and giggled and squirmed outwardly, keeping a cheerful look on her features. But inwardly? Inwardly, Yachiru was memorizing all of the points he was touching. One thing she’d learned about Gin was that he never did anything without a higher purpose of some kind, so when he spoke, she wasn’t all that surprised.

“I haven’t had to kill before, but I wouldn’t be afraid of it,” Yachiru admitted when he stopped and she finally got to speak outloud. She smiled sadly. “I’ve learned a lot watching Kenny over the years and I know he’d want me alive instead of someone else, so that’s why I would kill someone if it was necessary.” She offered a quirky, happy smile for a moment.

“Besides,” Yachiru commented cheerfully, “If something happened to me, Kenny would just miss me, and then he’d be all sad, and that wouldn’t be fun at all!” She could easily go back and forth between cheerfulness and seriousness, thanks to all of her years of being near Kenpachi.”And if that doesn’t work, there’s always…” Yachiru tilted her head and focused on her wall of spiritual pressure that she was developing. She knew that humans couldn’t really feel it, but if it was powerful enough, they could sense it.And Yachiru’s was a flood of power. A wall, literally, blasting its way towards Gin. She controlled it, though, controlled it so that she wouldn’t destroy his house at all. Her eyes did glow nicely, though, changing from their dark color to a lighter, brighter pink shade.

In response to her directed spiritual pressure, Gin did what he could to compensate. He also did what he could to remain as baseline as possible, to put on the disguise of not having developed as fast as her, and so - knowing that humans couldn't really feel it but not wanting to slam his own power back at the girl - he shielded himself just enough to withstand it. Enough that his silvery hair fluttered back a little bit, just like it was blown by a sudden breeze from an open window, and he blinked a little bit, like he wasn't sure where that had come from.

No, even then, Gin wasn't giving away anything, nor was he about to let himself be buffeted by the Little Pink Fury, in his kitchen. It was better playing dumb. It was safer. The dream him had done something dangerous, turned traitor, and betrayed them all, and he was still playing a finely tuned game of chess, being mindful of how he should react defensively and offensively should any of them try to strike out against him.

After all? He knew what he was up against. Simply because Captain Kurotsuchi was in a watchful waiting stance, didn't mean that the crazy clown wasn't coming up with 1001 new and unusual ways to destroy him if he stepped out of line. Just because Yachiru was cute, didn't mean she still wasn't a member of Squad Eleven, the special combat unit, and she had willing backup in the form of Yumichika, and neither of them had control of their tempers. Abarai was a good guy who always meant well, but he was also a hot head. And then there was Captain Hitsugaya, who had a long standing axe to grind. That kid was cold, but being cold didn't exempt one from impetuously acting on the hate they felt and wanting to get even.

After all, wasn't revenge a dish best served cold? And where Toshiro was concerned, that vengeance would literally be served on ice.

He shook his head and didn’t mention anything about anything strange. In fact, he smiled his same smile, reaching out and touching a finger under her chin, ever so gently.

"You're important to Kenny, so let's keep the both of ya from losing one another. No sad faces that way and I never did like sad stories. So remember those points I showed ya, 'cause I'm not practicin' no more until I finish my tea. An' when I think you're ready, I'll find ya a good mark, an' you'll get to kill 'em."

Yachiru just watched Gin’s reaction to her spiritual pressure. His reaction alone was enough, more than enough, to confirm any doubts that she could have had in regards to whether or not Gin was telling the truth about his dreams and knowing her in them. She smiled, but it wasn’t a carefree, happy smile. It was a deadly, sure of herself smile, one that said she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Good.” Yachiru kept her pressure up just a few moments more, then she let it drop all of a sudden. The pink-haired terror relaxed back into her chair, sipping again at her tea. She gave Gin a curious look, watching him only a moment more. “Just remember not to underestimate me, Gin. I know who you are, in both worlds, and I don’t care. You would make Kenny happy by finding him plenty of opponents to fight. Because of you, and of Aizen, Kenny got to fight Ichi after all.” Yachiru stretched briefly, giving Gin a knowing glance. “So, whatever you do, it’s up to you, but don’t think that you could easily defeat me, Gin Ichimaru.”

His reaction merely mocked mirrored a human for the most part, only one who could pick up on spiritual pressure a little more enough to feel it. He had been careful, and certainly even more careful, because he was constantly surrounded by humans and knew how to keep himself contained. He was even more careful to keep all of his energy close to himself and not to even slightly push back, but to let her's slip past. So any 'reading' she would have gotten was a cover up and nothing compared to what he really could do or withstand.

Oh yes, Gin knew that he could also defeat her. In an instant. She might put the fear of the Soul King into everyone else in her own division and be able to be toted around by Kenpachi, but Gin wasn't a part of that and he wasn't afraid of Aizen, either. Sure, he thought she was cute and funny to hang out with, and he knew a large part of him wouldn't enjoy hurting her if he had to. But if she threatened him and thought that she could control him? Oh no, he wasn't going to hesitate to make things very, very, very unpleasant between them.

"Ahh?" he sighed out slowly, feigning his usual dopey stupidity. "I guess I don't know what or who you're talkin' 'bout, with your talkin' 'bout both worlds. I ain't ever only been in the here an' now.” And technically, that was true. The dreams and the people having them, might not be one in the same, for all they knew, but what might be copy in a parallel whatevers that Gin didn’t even want to strain his brain thinking about. It would take a Mayuri to figure that out, with data to back it up.

“Anyways,” he continued to say, “I don't need no Kenny or no you to do what I need ta do. I don' get my orders from ya, but get ‘em from even higher up. I know where they come from. So if ya think ya got me under your cute lil' thumb? Well, I do like ya, but you're wrong. I'd haveta take care of that. An' no one wants that. Do they?"

After all, he didn't have to teach her, did he? She could go somewhere else. And he never said he'd teach her everything, for that matter. He smiled and sipped his tea, not the least bit riled up. If she wanted to go intimidate her squad members, then that was fine. If she wanted to go scream for Kenpachi? That was fine too. After all, Gin was fast enough to wrap Ken-chan up like a funny mummy to keep him from fighting Byakuya who was in a monumental bad mood, so Kenny was welcome to take a stab at him. He had tricks up his sleeves to compensate, as usual.

Bottom line: Gin don't play that. Bye~bye! o/

"Ah yah. Think ya better leave, 'Chiru. We're done for today. An' probably for a while." It was a calm enough warning, but one that she'd better heed since it was becoming apparent they needed to set up some much needed boundaries from here on out. "I jus' remembered. I got some stuff ta do. So here’s where ya get pouty ‘cause someone told ya no and where I’d better stop bein’ lazy, an’ get ta doin’ it."

Rather than be upset, as Gin predicted, Yachiru let her gaze meet his coolly. She might come across as usually a cheerful, happy girl, but she wasn’t afraid to stand up to do what she felt was something that she needed to do. “Aw, someone’s getting cranky today.” She picked up one of the candies she’d been given and tossed it to him loftily, a smile on her features even as she spoke. And so she’d discovered the place where their working personalities and their real personalities cut the line, so to speak. She smiled still, though, keeping a demeanor of happiness on the outside but on the inside, she was on guard and completely wary.

Yachiru knew she had the added benefit that no one had ever seen her zanpakutou. No one, with the exception of Kenpachi because she’d told him about it, even knew what it could do. As long as Kenpachi were around, she never needed to use it. And as long as the rest of her squad was always so eager to fight, she never had need of yielding her sword. However, she practiced enough with Kenpachi that she was on equal terms with him, if not a bit stronger because she actually knew her zanpakuto's name, unlike her partner in crime. But Yachiru could act a part, if that’s what Gin felt was necessary for them to get along well enough. She could act well.

“I don’t want to leave you with a half full cup of tea, though!” Yachiru remarked playfully, falling back into what they were accustomed to. If he ever did threaten Kenpachi, Yachiru would step in. If Kenpachi ever fell, Yachiru knew she’d have to step in and defeat his opponent, regardless of the consequences on her side. So for now, she respected Gin’s wishes for what they were. She could see where they were coming from. She sat on the top edge of the chair, dangling her legs as she slowly, almost painfully slowly, drank her cup of tea.


"Huh, maybe I am gettin' cranky in my ol' age." Gin had caught the candy before it beaned him on the side of his head, while he was sedately sipping his tea. Thing was, he wasn't exactly a slouch at acting either, considering he played out what had to be the longest, greatest double-crosses of all time. And now that he was set on giving them some boundaries, there was no way come hell or high water that he was going to teach her everything, or give her any indication of what he was capable of. His power was - essentially - under a tightly closed door. Because it would be idiotic to let it smack everyone in the face like that creepy Kurosaki kid did, since he never learned how to hide it.

That thought made Gin smile, even if he had to degrade the kid before taking off, he thought he was kinda funny and he was strong. Strong enough that he felt confident to leave it in his hands after the kid caught up with a few hundred levels in badass. He was sure Yachiru was not slouch if she could withstand Kenpachi's reiatsu, and therefore, she just made his list of people that might get in his way, and he still had some while before he uncovered who it was he was really going to kill. People getting in his way were a liability that needed to be removed or cast aside, so he could continue.

"...I like ya," he reiterated, so he was sure she knew that, and it was something he actually meant. It wasn't a joke, or a threat, or an outright lie. "I need ya to do something for me. There's a club in town, an' I'd like ya ta sneak in back, an' see if they're filterin' out any money or drugs here. If ya want, take someone with ya as a cover or ta watch your back." He knew that might be Yumichika, even if it was only for looks. In a pinch, he might fashion everyone to death, given what he’d seen of him on the network.

Nevertheless, Gin continued, "I don' have the time right now ta do it myself, 'cause I'm checkin' out another place. So if ya could do that an’ find some evidence, that’d really help out. If ya get caught, stick ‘em where I showed ya an’ run."

He dropped the candy onto the counter and reached out with one hand, to rest it lightly on top of her head. There was a slow, ever-so-gentle pit pat, before he drew his hand away again. Probably so she couldn't bite it, like she used to do to Ikkaku's shiny cue-ball noggin'.

Part of Yachiru was a bit wary of Gin just passing her off like that. Why? Was that all she was to him? Someone who could filter in and out without getting caught and who could do nothing else? She kept a gentle smile on her features, however, giving him a curious glance. Taking someone with her meant that he was wary that the place she was being sent could be dangerous. While Yachiru personally never minded the dangerous places, she nodded in understanding.

“Who else is here?” she questioned, turning her question into a more serious mode for the moment. She knew who she knew, but she was also asking to see who he knew. It all depended on whatever answer that he gave her. “I can handle it, though.” She was curious as to why he was policing people, but that wasn’t a question that she thought he’d even answer for her.

"Huh.” There was a long, thoughtful pause. That was followed by a sharp shrug.

“Guess I dunno," Gin said, with that ever-present mask of amusement on his face. He was not even mentioning specific names in the way of other Shinigami in the area and instead chose to concentrate on the Yakuza that he knew were around as part of their specific Asian crime syndicate. "You're gonna have ta call in for Yakuza backup, if ya want it, an' they'll match ya up with someone else in the area. I just know I ain't got time ta do it, since I can't be everywhere at once. But? If you can handle it, then I guess all I gotta say is good luck. You should be fine. 'Specially after I showed ya them stab points."

Or, at least, he hoped she would be all right. If she didn't take Yumichika like he thought she might, and if she was caught, then she'd have to fight her way out. So it might seem that he was either putting her in that situation on purpose because it was dangerous, to be rid of her, or that he was throwing all his chips in that she would bring someone with her that she trusted. That way he had manipulated it just enough without ever really admitting a thing, that she would go in and get out, safe.

Gin silently smiled at her for what seemed like an overly long moment, then turned and walked out of the kitchen, without a second glance or another word.