*blinks* Wow, two weeks? I've really slowed down. Anyway, we get to see a pre-Gotei Retsu again this time, working to impress Yamamoto with her abilities. And we all know that Yamamoto can be tough on people; thus he insists on using real swords for this test. None of that silly bokutou stuff once you know what you're doing with a weapon . . .

Title: The Hopeful
Author: flowingmists
Fandom: Bleach
Characters: Unohana, Yamamoto
Prompt: #004 – Sore
Word Count: 1,099
Rating: PG
Summary: Yamamoto visits the Unohana estate to evaluate their young prodigy.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: All characters and settings of Bleach are the property of Kubo Tite.
 

The Hopeful

 

Finally, a pause in the action.  Retsu peeled a few sweat-soaked strands of hair from her cheeks as she looked up at her opponent.  Her other hand kept a firm grasp of the sword she held in a ready position.  It was a real blade this time, unlike the bokutou she had been using until little more than a month ago.  While she had gotten used to the different weight by now, it still felt strange to carry a true weapon.  But she could not afford to concentrate upon that strangeness.

 

She lifted her blade at the sudden flash of steel in front of her, managing to block the strike.  But the opposing sword slid along hers, reversing its direction once the tip was clear – she ducked hurriedly to avoid this new attack.

 

And already another one came for her, this time aimed toward her legs.  Retsu dove to the side a mere second too late; the sword bit lightly into her flesh, drawing a long cut down her calf.  She hissed in pain as she fell to her knees, but the words for a healing kidou were already forming on her lips.  The wound wasn't serious, but it could impede her mobility, and this was something that she could not afford.

 

More movement above her.  She rolled to the side, still chanting her spell, sword gripped tenuously in one hand.  The dull sound of a blade impacting stone resounded through her ears.  She had expected to be on the defensive against this opponent, though she'd had no idea that the match would be this serious.

 

Had she not known better, she would have sworn that he was trying to kill her.

 

Retsu completed her spell, pressing her free hand to the leg wound so that her power could knit the skin back together.  She hadn't used healing kidou on herself very often, so she was still unused to the itch that came over the bonding flesh.  Not that she had time to worry over something so trivial.

 

As she began to rise, the sword came down again; she gripped her hilt with both hands and brought it into an overhead block.  Retsu gritted her teeth as she strained against the pressure, trying to exercise enough of her own to match it.  No matter that such a thing was futile.  Her opponent had the strength advantage on her, and she well knew that.  The question was whether she should dive to the side once again, or use this opportunity for an attack at the exposed flank.

 

But the situation was decided for her when her opponent withdrew his blade, leaving her to collapse in exhaustion.  She looked up, anticipating another attack, but instead was greeted with a mild smile on the man's elderly face.

 

"Determination and focus," he said in a deep, rumbling voice.  He let out an approving chuckle.  "You certainly possess such qualities.  And a good instinct for defense."  He lifted his sword back into a guard position.  "But defense is only one side of battle.  Show me, little one, the way you attack."

 

Retsu blinked at the words, but did not protest them.  One did not talk back to Yamamoto Genryuusai unless there was an extremely good reason.  Though her palms were sweaty and her fingers trembled, she took a firm hold of her sword as she climbed back to her feet.  She steadily locked her gaze with his, not out of challenge, but out of respect.  As subtly as she could, she took a few deep breaths to gather her courage.  A final adjustment of her grip, and she leaped to the offense.

 

It would have appeared a strange sight to any onlooker: a tall, elderly man fighting against a small girl only beginning to grow into womanhood.  One would have expected the strikes to be feeble and sloppy, but there was both force and fluidity to each of their motions.  Retsu tried every angle and technique that she could think of in order to score a blow, not hesitant about the violence of her attacks simply because she did not expect to land that blow.  And if by some miracle she did, she had confidence in her ability to heal the injury.

 

Yamamoto deftly parried each of her strikes, very few of them even coming close to his body.  He did not dodge; clearly he did not feel that such a thing was necessary.  That same calm smile never faded from his lips.  In the midst of her rapid strategizing, Retsu found it in herself to be happy that she seemed to be impressing him.  That had been the whole reason for Yamamoto's visit, after all.

 

But after a few minutes, she was spent.  Retsu fell back, panting heavily, fingers begging to go limp, and she was finally feeling the pain of all the bruises she had suffered at the mercy of Ryuujin Jakka's hilt.  She held firm, though, unwilling to show any more weakness that she already had.  Once more, she leveled her eyes with his, awaiting his appraisal.

 

He studied her a moment before he spoke.  "Raw.  But that is to be expected, given your youth.  There is much potential to be found in your bladework, I think; your father did not exaggerate this point.  And the knowledge of healing kidou is an unexpected benefit."

 

Retsu kept her face neutral at the positive assessment of her abilities, though she inwardly rejoiced.  It wasn't just anyone who impressed Yamamoto, and even fewer were the ones he deigned worthy to be his pupil.  Retsu's father had thought her skilled enough for the latter, and now she would see if his confidence would prove correct.

 

Yamamoto willed his zanpakutou back into its unassuming cane form, and folded both hands on top of it.  "Sheathe your sword, Unohana Retsu.  You have passed the test; I will take the liberty of informing your father of your success, and we will discuss your training regimen."

 

"Yes.  Thank you, Yamamoto-sensei."  Retsu did as commanded, then bowed deeply at the waist.  Though she tried to suppress it, she felt a smile tug successfully at the corners of her lips.

 

Yamamoto nodded and turned on his heel, exiting the courtyard and heading back to the house to speak with her father.  Now that he was gone, there was no reason to resist the smile and she gratefully let it take over her face.

 

She was exhausted, she was trembling, she was bloody, and she was more sore than she had ever been.  She'd never felt better in her life.