TZC: Predatory

[zangetsugirl]

A drop of blood fell from midair to land on a single sakura petal in Senbonzakura's realm. He frowned. He had not invited anyone, much less that...commoner into his home. The other zanpakutou spirit finished manifesting and, naturally, getting blood everywhere.

Hey, Princess. Whatcha doin'?

You have invaded my home uninvited, ingrate. You

Comments

[zangetsugirl]

(This one'll be a bit long-winded, too.) Yes. It'd be very useful. Normally the shinigami learns the name of their zanpakutou as the end result of learning to communicate with said zanpakutou, and accepting and acknowledging that this sentient weapon is a part of and came from them. Cue shikai. Nameless is different. He gave Kenpachi shikai before he had earned it, and so lost his name and the right to make Kenpachi work to learn it. The balance got shifted around the wrong way. That's what locked the door between Nameless and Kenpachi. If Kenpachi gave him a name, that would unlock the door and open the lines of communication. It would also unlock all of Nameless's power that Kenpachi isn't using at present and probably put him on the track for bankai, given how driven he can be when it comes to getting stronger.

Here's the thing: no one is ever going to tell him that.

To explain that, I need to tell you a little about zanpakutou in general and a little about Nameless in particular. (*sarcastic* Aren't you glad you opened those floodgates?) First off, and I really need to make a general purpose post because I keep repeating this, the zanpakutou aren't human, they're weapons. Killing isn't a moral quandary for them, it's their function. As far as a zanpakutou is concerned, it only has three priorities: a) protect its shinigami, b) purify hollows and c) protect anyone its shinigami wants to protect. (In Nameless's case, you can leave off c for nearly everyone, because Kenpachi doesn't care and neither does he.) A side effect of their nature as weapons is that there's frequently no middle road in their personalities. Benihime (Urahara) is a nearly amoral chessmaster. Katen Kyokotsu (Shunsui) is split between a staunch protector and a prankster whose manic demeanor almost borders on madness. Wabisuke (Kira) can be either a solid rock or a basket case. See? They're a lot like their shinigami, for the most part, but they don't hold anything back. Kenpachi built a life around killing and being strong enough to kill more, better and faster. So Nameless is a predator and, more than that, a monster. So long as he and Kenpachi have that locked door between them, there's a limit to what he can do. Remove it...no one wants to find out. No one's going to tell Kenpachi anything.

[jessara40k]

This one'll be a bit long-winded, too.)

And I like long winded answers.

The balance got shifted around the wrong way.

I hadn't realised that. I take it that initially in a normal pairing the zanpakutou has the position of advantage, with the decision of when and how to open communiation in his/her hands, and that after gaining at least shikai the relationship shifts to whatever the shinigami is most comfortable with, based on Byakuya's relationship with Senbonzakura?

And now Kenpachi has to be the one to open communication fully, but he still thinks Nameless needs to do that?

Here's the thing: no one is ever going to tell him that.

Makes sense when you explain it, it was just that Zangetsu seemed to feel a lot of sympathy for Nameless in their interaction.

(In Nameless's case, you can leave off c for nearly everyone, because Kenpachi doesn't care and neither does he.)

Because if they deserved his care they'd be strong enough to protect themselves?

So long as he and Kenpachi have that locked door between them, there's a limit to what he can do. Remove it...no one wants to find out. No one's going to tell Kenpachi anything.

Makes sense, I mean if he's strong enough to hold a Captain's rank without bankai...

[zangetsugirl]

Yes. The zanpakutou is aware of the shinigami from birth. The shinigami is only aware of the zanpakutou spirit--at best--in the early stages of their power's awakening. Normally, it's much later than that. Months or years even, depending on the individual shinigami's circumstances. So the zanpakutou knows the shinigami inside and out, has been shaped by the shinigami's experiences right alongside them. The shinigami suddenly has a stranger in their head who's testing them. The balance is definitely in the zanpakutou's favor. And their instincts tell them that's how it's supposed to work. That's part of Nameless's problem. I'm just not sure how crazy he was before he literally turned his whole world around backwards.

Yes, shikai puts the shinigami's hands on the reins. How tightly they hold on depends on the shinigami in question.

Exactly. Kenpachi's waiting for a message that Nameless can't send until Kenpachi reaches out first. Kenpachi doesn't know that, but Nameless does. *shakes head* No wonder they're screwed up.

Makes sense when you explain it, it was just that Zangetsu seemed to feel a lot of sympathy for Nameless in their interaction.
*sigh* There's a meta explanation for this and an in-character explanation. First, the meta: they were written *checks dates* almost exactly three months apart, and the story and characterizations evolved in that time. Basically, Nameless wasn't as much of a bastard when I wrote chapter three.

Second, the in-character explanation: Zangetsu empathizes with Nameless's situation, but would just as soon hurt--if not kill--Nameless himself. He recognizes Nameless as a potential threat.

Exactly. Kenpachi cares about Yachiru, who's actually frighteningly dangerous. He likes Ichigo, because Ichigo kicked his ass. Oh look, it's a pattern.

*grin* Now you're getting it.

[jessara40k]

First, the meta: they were written *checks dates* almost exactly three months apart, and the story and characterizations evolved in that time. Basically, Nameless wasn't as much of a bastard when I wrote chapter three.

And he didn't act like as much of a bastard either, although that could be because he 'respects' Zangetsu more than he does Senbonzakura?

Zangetsu empathizes with Nameless's situation, but would just as soon hurt--if not kill--Nameless himself. He recognizes Nameless as a potential threat.

Yes, that makes sense, and I've got a similar issue in one of my stories, where one character's a brainwashed slave, but the one person who could do anything about it and cares anough about him to bother, won't for the most part, because except for one aspect adjusting the brainwashing would have negative consequences.

[zangetsugirl]

Hmmm...that's entirely possible. Zangetsu is less likely to put up with Nameless's shit, and more likely to kick him out on his ass if he misbehaves. Nameless knows that, and acts accordingly--where he would cross the line with Senbonzakura, he wouldn't with Zangetsu. That's as close as he comes to respect.

Ouch. Don't envy you that plotline, darlin'.

[jessara40k]

Ouch. Don't envy you that plotline, darlin'.

It's not that bad. The brainwashed character agreed to it beforehand and his brainwashing's a very minor plot point, something that only really came up because a reviewer asked me if the character who could do something about it would.

[zangetsugirl]

Ah, I see.