Perfect Imperfection (Mayuri Kurotsuchi)

My First Friend; My Zanpakto

I sat in my room alone; Kisuke hadn't been gone long but with him gone my thoughts were trying to get to me and I was scared. I missed my father and I wanted to not be alone. Being alone was the worst thing in the world just then for me. I crawled off of the bed and sat myself down on the ground before crawling towards the door when I heard shouting and commotion.

I peeked through the door but saw nothing even though the sound came through loud and clear. There was a boy yelling and a woman's laughter. I stood up and opened my door more. I looked left to see a woman running with a smile then I looked to the right and saw a boy running towards me; he looked to be my age. He had slightly long black hair with these big grey eyes while his cheeks were pink with rage probably but it vanished when he saw me looking at him, he even stopped running.

I quickly tried to retreat back into my room, scared of talking to anyone other than Kisuke. "Wait!" The boy called out.

Just as I was about to close my door he appeared in the doorway; I stumbled back and fell on my butt. He looked down at me and I looked up at him. I didn't know what to say, for a ten year old boy – he looked beautiful like a girl but I wasn't going to say that, he'd get mad. He blinked at me before smiling big.

"Hi, I'm Byakuya Kuchiki. Who are you?" I just looked up at him. I couldn't find my voice." Can you talk?" I nodded but then shook my head." Yes or no, which is it?"

"Uh," was the only thing I could utter looking up at the boy, Byakuya.

"So you can talk, are you scared to talk?" He offered a hand to help me up.

"K-K-Kisuke!" I yelped!

"Ohhh, did Kisuke bring you here? I knew he looked a little pervy, but I didn't know he liked little girls." Byakuya frowned.

I shook my head quickly." Nii-chan!" I yelped again.

"Ehhh? He can't be your brother. You guys look nothing alike." He tilted his head and frowned dropping his hand when I didn't take it.

"Helped... me." I muttered quietly.

"There you go!" He smiled as I upgraded from one word to two." He helped you with what?"

"... project... I... was... a... project." His eyes bulged and he quickly sat himself down in front of me.

"What? Project? How? Are you okay? It's alright now!" Byakuya suddenly grabbed me up in his arms holding me.

Shocked, I tried to struggle against him and get away – no one but Kisuke had hugged me and it was scary. He held on tightly and never let go while telling me small phrases of comfort." It's alright... Everything's going to be okay, I promise. I never lie. And I never go back on my word. I'll protect you..." He looked down at me for a name.

 I blinked" D-D-Dalia." Before I knew it I was crying in his arms telling him everything. This guy that I had just met was suddenly comforting me and I could do nothing but let him.

He remained silent and held me as I cried. I took a deep breath and found that he smelt of Cherry Blossoms – the smell calmed me immediately. I looked up at Byakuya, he smiled down at me.

"Are you alright now? I'm sorry your father would ever do that to you but you are fine now and I'll make sure no more harm ever comes of you, alright? I swear on the Kuchiki noble name." He gave me a goofy, bright smile.

Before I could stop myself, I said" You look like a girl, Byakuya-kun," utterly ruining the warm moment between us.

His face went blank and there was an awkward silence between us but we soon started laughing and smiling." You have such a pretty smile, Dalia-chan. You should smile more often. I'll make you!" He declared proudly.

I chuckled." So silly, Byakuya-kun." I hugged him tightly.

"Ohhhh Byakuyaaaaaaaaaaa. Where are you? I still have your hair tie!" A woman's voice called.

Byakuya's eye twitched before letting me go and rushing out of the door." Yoruichi! I'll get you!" 

Instead of being consumed by the sudden loneliness, I found myself laughing. My first friend... was feminine looking and oh so silly.

"Drown their tears, Umi Sennyo!" I called out before my sword turned into a long golden spear with water wrapped around my wrist and the spear itself. I give an excitable cheer." Bya-kun! Bya-kun! I did it!"

He looked up from his mother's grave and smiled big." You did it! It's so cool! I'm proud!" He ran up to me and gave me a hug with my spear, Umi Sennyo, behind his head.

I held him at arm length and looked at him."... You still look like a girl, Bya-kun."

A silence enveloped us before we busted out laughing, sighing after we were done." You are the only one who does that, that says I look like a girl, Shay-chan."

"I can't help it!" I whined as Umi Sennyo returned to a normal Zanpakto's form and I sheathed it.

"I know." He patted my head; I grabbed his hand and bit it. He yelped." Why'd you bite me?"

"Don't treat me like a kid. I'm your age." I pouted.

"But you did good so I was giving you praise!"

"Praise me some other way." I crossed my arms over my chest and turned away from him.

"F-... fine!" A pair of lips brushed my cheek. If I could blush, I would have.

"B-b-Byakuya-kun!" I yelped.

"You said give you praise some other way!" I turned to see he was redder than a tomato and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you." I shook my head." Now tell me what Umi Sennyo means."

"You don't know what it means?" He blinked at me as the blush died a little.

"Nope." I smiled big.

He chuckled." Ocean Nymph."

"Ohhh, alright." I quickly made my way toward the exit gate." I'm gonna go show Nii-chan, he'll be surprised!"

"Aren't you going to wait for my Grandpa?" Byakuya called out to me.

"I'll be back so do not tell him about my Shikai!" I called back as I rushed through the exit gate. I stopped and bowed to the guards and continued on my way rushing through the streets, realizing that I didn't have shoes on – the way I liked to run.

It didn't take long to get the 12th Squad Headquarters or to find Kisuke's room. I threw the door open and saw Kisuke pushing a little blonde girl off of him as she attempted a vicious attack." NIIIIIII-CHHHHHHAANNNNN!"

The girl froze and so did my brother; he threw the girl off and leapt for me." IMMMMOOOOUUUTTTOOOOOO~!"

He picked me up and spun me around before putting me down." Nii-chan! Nii-chan! Byakuya-kun taught me Shikai! See!" I quickly pulled out my Zanpakto." Drown their tears, Umi Sennyo!" My sword quickly transformed.

Kisuke's face went from happy and a little pink to shocked and pale."... I-... I-... I'll be back." He rushed out past me and Shunpo'd away.

"Ehhhh??? Niiiiiii-cchhhhhaaaannn!!!" I frowned and put my Zanpakto away after it turned back to normal. I looked at the girl but she seemed as confused as me.

I poked my lips out before concluding that he must have went to the Research Institution; I gave the pigtailed girl one more look before rushing off towards the Research Institution. I had never seen Kisuke be like that – I hadn't even so much as seen him seriously frown... what just happened?