[video] 1st battle
[The forge blinks on in the middle of a little girl’s very exuberant giggle. It’s obviously Yachiru for anyone who knows her - the pink hair and rosy cheeks are a dead giveaway if the laugh isn’t - but this is not her forge number. In all likelihood, it belongs to the mountain of a man on whose shoulder she is perched.
Maybe some of you recognize that forge number, it’s an old one. Even if you don’t, the answer is soon revealed. The forge screen is brought to an extreme close up of a scarred ear. A deep voice rumbles with a touch of a laugh.]
You need to work on your aim, kid.
Oh, wait!
[She somehow shifts herself forward, draping herself in what should be a precarious position for any normal child, and joining her excessively cheerful face on the screen is the rest of the head that goes with that scarred ear. The most noticeable thing is the eyepatch the man wears, next would be the scars, or maybe the hairless brows. Should the forge screen allow, his hair is done up in spikes that defy gravity and logic. The face wears a grin.]
That’s better! Now everybody can see that you’re back, Ken-chan! See, see!
[It’s amateur cameraman time as she takes the Forge in one little hand and draws it close in to his face - much closer than necessary - and then far away, like a handmade zoom feature. The belled ends of his spiked hair appear for a moment, and then all you can see is the bridge of his nose. She laughs like a tiny, ecstatic maniac.]
LOOK EVERYBODY! KEN-CHAN IS BACK! I said he’d come back, didn’t I? ‘Cause Ken-chan would never leave me here all by myself if he could help it, right, Ken-chan?
Heh, ‘course not, kid.
[She’s got her arms around his neck in the best approximation of a bear hug someone of her size can give and she pretty much looks like the happiest kid in the world. Kenpachi puts up with it because if fact he loves it too. He looks into the camera with the uncovered eye and bares his teeth in a smirk.]
So, hope yeh guys got stronger, cause I have. And I’m going to take you all on! [He laughs.]
Yeah! Scilly, you should fight him again! That was a good fight! And Isie, too! He’s been teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow, Ken-chan, and he’s really strong! And Icchi should fight! Ken-chan always has fun fighting Icchi! And Au-rin even though he’s not that strong! [That mischievous grin is just for you, Arthur.]And everybody! Everybody should come fight with Ken-chan because it’s fun!
[AND SHE’S STILL GIGGLING. The hand not holding the Forge up to see both their faces is now latched onto his ear. Not because she needs a handhold or anything of the sort. Just because it’s there. Looks like she’s pulling on it pretty hard, too.]
Knock it off! That hurts!
[A large hand bats her little one away from the ear. There’s no real force in it but hopefully she’ll get the picture. He grumbles, a bit put upon.]
Can’t escape that wherever I go.
[She just giggles and gives it another tug.]
Everybody is going to be so happy you’re back! I told everybody all about you, Ken-chan! Especially Xerbie! Oh oh! We have to go home right now so you can meet Xerbie right away! Look, Xerbie, Ken-chan’s back! Ken-chan’s back! I can’t wait for you to meet him!
Fine. Lead the way. [Meaning they’ll get there sometime next year, knowing her.]And stop pulling on my ear!
Okay, let’s go!
[She gives another tug on his ear, as if she is pulling the chain on a train whistle. She even makes a happy squealing nose that could almost approximate the sound that should come from doing such a thing.]
This way, Ken-chan!
[The hand makes an appearance again, this time reaching for the Forge, a giant palm covering the screen. A button fumble or two later, it’s shut off. He really doesn’t need a video of them getting lost on the way home.]
Maybe some of you recognize that forge number, it’s an old one. Even if you don’t, the answer is soon revealed. The forge screen is brought to an extreme close up of a scarred ear. A deep voice rumbles with a touch of a laugh.]
You need to work on your aim, kid.
Oh, wait!
[She somehow shifts herself forward, draping herself in what should be a precarious position for any normal child, and joining her excessively cheerful face on the screen is the rest of the head that goes with that scarred ear. The most noticeable thing is the eyepatch the man wears, next would be the scars, or maybe the hairless brows. Should the forge screen allow, his hair is done up in spikes that defy gravity and logic. The face wears a grin.]
That’s better! Now everybody can see that you’re back, Ken-chan! See, see!
[It’s amateur cameraman time as she takes the Forge in one little hand and draws it close in to his face - much closer than necessary - and then far away, like a handmade zoom feature. The belled ends of his spiked hair appear for a moment, and then all you can see is the bridge of his nose. She laughs like a tiny, ecstatic maniac.]
LOOK EVERYBODY! KEN-CHAN IS BACK! I said he’d come back, didn’t I? ‘Cause Ken-chan would never leave me here all by myself if he could help it, right, Ken-chan?
Heh, ‘course not, kid.
[She’s got her arms around his neck in the best approximation of a bear hug someone of her size can give and she pretty much looks like the happiest kid in the world. Kenpachi puts up with it because if fact he loves it too. He looks into the camera with the uncovered eye and bares his teeth in a smirk.]
So, hope yeh guys got stronger, cause I have. And I’m going to take you all on! [He laughs.]
Yeah! Scilly, you should fight him again! That was a good fight! And Isie, too! He’s been teaching me how to shoot a bow and arrow, Ken-chan, and he’s really strong! And Icchi should fight! Ken-chan always has fun fighting Icchi! And Au-rin even though he’s not that strong! [That mischievous grin is just for you, Arthur.]And everybody! Everybody should come fight with Ken-chan because it’s fun!
[AND SHE’S STILL GIGGLING. The hand not holding the Forge up to see both their faces is now latched onto his ear. Not because she needs a handhold or anything of the sort. Just because it’s there. Looks like she’s pulling on it pretty hard, too.]
Knock it off! That hurts!
[A large hand bats her little one away from the ear. There’s no real force in it but hopefully she’ll get the picture. He grumbles, a bit put upon.]
Can’t escape that wherever I go.
[She just giggles and gives it another tug.]
Everybody is going to be so happy you’re back! I told everybody all about you, Ken-chan! Especially Xerbie! Oh oh! We have to go home right now so you can meet Xerbie right away! Look, Xerbie, Ken-chan’s back! Ken-chan’s back! I can’t wait for you to meet him!
Fine. Lead the way. [Meaning they’ll get there sometime next year, knowing her.]And stop pulling on my ear!
Okay, let’s go!
[She gives another tug on his ear, as if she is pulling the chain on a train whistle. She even makes a happy squealing nose that could almost approximate the sound that should come from doing such a thing.]
This way, Ken-chan!
[The hand makes an appearance again, this time reaching for the Forge, a giant palm covering the screen. A button fumble or two later, it’s shut off. He really doesn’t need a video of them getting lost on the way home.]