Bleach Fic: Taxonomy
Okay, last entry for today. I promise.
Fandom: Bleach
Title:Taxonomy
Words: 500
Rating: G
Prompt: (for fanfic100) 76. Who?
Spoilers: Takes place during chapter 180 (at the end of the Soul Society arc).
Summary: Nanao explains her most difficult job to Ichigo. Written (loosely) for the death_n_berry prompt, "Quincy Archer Hates You."
Nanao sat stiffly on the edge of a seat on the 8th division porch, a book taking residence in her lap.
Her attention was not on it, however. She stared intently at the cherry blossom tree in front of her. She looked like she was forcibly willing it to bloom, and as though she might be perturbed at its disobedience.
Ichigo had just managed to escape from Zaraki (thankfully, that pink-haired brat was navigating). Hell if he was going to have saved Rukia and finally healed up just to let that psychopath chop him up again, he thought.
He had paused to catch his breath, leaning against the side of the 8th division building, when he looked up to see Vice Captain Ise sitting like this, seemingly frozen.
Her serenity contrasted sharply with what he had encountered in the rest of Soul Society. He studied her for a bit longer, before he was reminded that he had never learned to cloak his spirit pressure.
Turning in his direction she asked, "Why are you staring at me?"
"Oh, um..." Ichigo fumbled, stepping out of the building's shadow. "I was just wondering about that huge book you're always carrying around. What is it?"
She looked at him quizzically. Apparently, this was not what she had been expecting. "It is a volume of the Shinigami Compendium. One of the 8th division's duties is to keep track of all known information on those who possess spiritual power and the potential to become Shinigami.
"We also document their zanpakutou's forms, and a brief background on a Shinigami's major accomplishments. We also track similarities between individuals and the like, facilitating study; it's particularly useful for the Academy.
"Of course, when I became vice captain, my captain had ignored this responsibility for at least a century. I have been trying to catch up ever since."
"Sounds like a lotta work," Ichigo responded. "I don't know how you're going to finish if you're always goofing off like this."
"I was taking a very well-deserved break," Nanao snapped. She was clearly beginning to sour on this conversation, if he was going to impugn her work ethic. "If you must know, I was thinking about what I was going to say about your friends, once I get to that point.
"The Quincy will be left out, obviously."
Ichigo gave a huge snort at this.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing," he said, with a hint of a grin in his voice. "I'm just looking forward to telling Ishida that. He'll love that."
Nanao seemed a little confused by this, but continued. "Your other friends...I've never seen anything like them. I watched that boy fight my captain..." She trailed off here, but in her eyes Ichigo could see the explosions that had punctuated the last week within the Court, and the frightening power and determination wielded by his gentle friend.
"So, what do you think you'll write about me?" Ichigo ventured.
"Oh," Nanao said, a faint smile crossing her lips and a mischievous twinkle entering her eyes, "I couldn't. That would be telling."
Fandom: Bleach
Title:Taxonomy
Words: 500
Rating: G
Prompt: (for fanfic100) 76. Who?
Spoilers: Takes place during chapter 180 (at the end of the Soul Society arc).
Summary: Nanao explains her most difficult job to Ichigo. Written (loosely) for the death_n_berry prompt, "Quincy Archer Hates You."
Nanao sat stiffly on the edge of a seat on the 8th division porch, a book taking residence in her lap.
Her attention was not on it, however. She stared intently at the cherry blossom tree in front of her. She looked like she was forcibly willing it to bloom, and as though she might be perturbed at its disobedience.
Ichigo had just managed to escape from Zaraki (thankfully, that pink-haired brat was navigating). Hell if he was going to have saved Rukia and finally healed up just to let that psychopath chop him up again, he thought.
He had paused to catch his breath, leaning against the side of the 8th division building, when he looked up to see Vice Captain Ise sitting like this, seemingly frozen.
Her serenity contrasted sharply with what he had encountered in the rest of Soul Society. He studied her for a bit longer, before he was reminded that he had never learned to cloak his spirit pressure.
Turning in his direction she asked, "Why are you staring at me?"
"Oh, um..." Ichigo fumbled, stepping out of the building's shadow. "I was just wondering about that huge book you're always carrying around. What is it?"
She looked at him quizzically. Apparently, this was not what she had been expecting. "It is a volume of the Shinigami Compendium. One of the 8th division's duties is to keep track of all known information on those who possess spiritual power and the potential to become Shinigami.
"We also document their zanpakutou's forms, and a brief background on a Shinigami's major accomplishments. We also track similarities between individuals and the like, facilitating study; it's particularly useful for the Academy.
"Of course, when I became vice captain, my captain had ignored this responsibility for at least a century. I have been trying to catch up ever since."
"Sounds like a lotta work," Ichigo responded. "I don't know how you're going to finish if you're always goofing off like this."
"I was taking a very well-deserved break," Nanao snapped. She was clearly beginning to sour on this conversation, if he was going to impugn her work ethic. "If you must know, I was thinking about what I was going to say about your friends, once I get to that point.
"The Quincy will be left out, obviously."
Ichigo gave a huge snort at this.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing," he said, with a hint of a grin in his voice. "I'm just looking forward to telling Ishida that. He'll love that."
Nanao seemed a little confused by this, but continued. "Your other friends...I've never seen anything like them. I watched that boy fight my captain..." She trailed off here, but in her eyes Ichigo could see the explosions that had punctuated the last week within the Court, and the frightening power and determination wielded by his gentle friend.
"So, what do you think you'll write about me?" Ichigo ventured.
"Oh," Nanao said, a faint smile crossing her lips and a mischievous twinkle entering her eyes, "I couldn't. That would be telling."