Chapter 29: Flesh Wounds

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Bleach (I Hope Tomorrow's a Better Day)
Chapter Summary: Everything they learn is just a little more concerning, not less.
Word Count: 900
Rating: Teen

 

         Xander-kun probably finds it humiliating starting from the beginning, but Ukitake only finds horror in the story, with one so young sacrificed by a death-cult. It’s unclear whether those were the instructions left by Maemi-chan herself, or if that was something the cultists had decided on their own, but the indications thus far are...not favorable. And they’ve already had far too much of that, recently, Jyuushirou thinks, unhappily.
         Even Shunsui doesn’t bother to try to achieve his typical casual, uncaring attitude when he asks, just as concerned, “So you died?”
         Xander-kun crosses his arms and pouts like a recruit scolded for being late. “I got better!”
         By the way Giles-kun sighs and cleans his glasses again, that’s probably some sort of inside joke, or possibly one of those cultural things that have yet to export to Seireitei.
         “I wish we had Unohana-san here, or really any of the Fourth Division. I’ve picked up a few things, but…” He’d been there often enough, and, really, in situation it made sense to take some interest in the healing arts. “If you would permit me, Xander-kun, I’d like to confirm your health.”
         Xander-kun takes a deep breath and nods sharply, abruptly. As he walks over, reluctance is clear in his steps. Interestingly, the vampire looks unhappy about this, too.
         “It will be all right. We’re certainly not going to stand by and do nothing while we’re here.” The young man doesn’t seem convinced, so he adds, “Unfortunately, I have a chronic condition, so I know what it’s like.” Falling unconscious with no guarantee of waking, spending far too long in Fourth, dreading answers about how he’s doing this time…
         “Oh. I...didn’t think that was possible for, uh, Soul Reapers?” His reluctance disappears, replaced by empathy and no small amount of curiosity.
         “It is, essentially, a new life after death, though souls are reborn and thus retain little of their past memories.” Ukitake smiles, happy to distract his patient as he works.
         “We can even get drunk, which reminds me, where can I get alcohol in this town?” Shunsui, too, is enjoying keeping Xander-kun’s mind occupied in his own mischievous way. At Ukitake’s raised eyebrow, he defends himself. “What, you wanted to check out the local candy, and I can’t go getting souvenirs from the Living World myself?”
         “Not much in the way of choice,” Spike-kun sneers, for once directing his anger at his options (and this sounds like another Rukongai argument, so Ukitake is hardly going to step into the middle of it).
         “Again, I hate to agree with Spike, but…” Giles-san speaks up, reluctantly, and Xander-kun snorts.
         “Yeah, yeah, you’re a snob too, we get it.” He turns his attention back to Ukitake, when he sits back, pleased with the results of his examination. “So, am I dying, or what?”
         “I don’t sense anything like that, though you are certainly not untouched by your experience, and I fear with this interference I may be missing something crucial.” Xander-kun and Summers-chan exchange entirely confused glances.
         “Okay, either we’re used to it, or everywhere else is, like, big red banners and flashing lights,” Summers-chan suggests.
         “You’re not having trouble with the magic?” That’s bothering Shunsui, too, then.
         The youngsters shrug in unison, like they’ve practiced it. “We’re kind of used to it? They call it Sunnydale Syndrome for a reason. Though most people don’t even notice.”
         “You were in L.A. for a bit, right? Was it easier?” Xander-kun asks, and Summers-chan considers that briefly before shrugging again.
         “Dunno. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, so I didn’t really pay attention?” Helpful, but not unsurprising.
         “So, uh. Not to sound unwelcoming, or anything, but why are you here?” Xander-kun moves on, more curious than wary. So they have done a little to earn some trust.
         How much to tell them, however? (Ironically, Jyuushirou considers that this is probably the exact same considerations Xander-kun had given before beginning his own story.) “The sword used to try to kill you, Xander-kun. Could you describe it?” Ukitake asks, fairly sure that, with the capabilities they’ve shown, they can work out most of the rest themselves. No need to worry them with concerns about war or the like.
         “Ohhhh, maaaaan, I knew that sword was bad news.” Xander-kun whines. “It didn’t look like too much, just your average black katana, but—great.” He makes a face when he realizes that yes, that’s unfortunately what the Captains were expecting. “It’s one of the things we were looking for—we thought we’d cleared out all of the demon cult, but the sword is just...gone. So someone’s gotta have it. What does it do, y’know, beyond handing out powers to the unwary? Because I’m pretty sure that was not the intent there.”
         “Controls people.” Shunsui’s shockingly straight-forward. And solemn. “Try not to be on your own, just as a precaution.” Which was something they’d already intended, but the more they can keep safe, the better.
         “Why can’t they just be like normal cults and brainwash people the old-fashioned way?” Xander-kun asks.
         It’s a rhetorical question, but Spike-san answers anyway. “First mistake there, whelp. Expecting anything in this bloody town to be normal.”
         “Spike’s making a strange amount of sense today. Are we due for another apocalypse?” Summers-chan comments brightly.
         Kyouraku meets his gaze and mouths the word ‘another?’, even as Giles-kun reassures that no, not one he’s read about.