chapter 8

I immediately threw my clothes off, I'm not going to test her patience. My swords softly hit the ground of the patchwork Palace.

Mitsuri turned away with a blush which didn't surprise me.

"you are to strip as well, girl. If I'm to make clothes for him, I may as well make clothes for you." I could hear her clothes drop to the ground but looked away for the sake of her decency.

"how adorable the two of you are. Like a shrine maiden and some gallant swordsman in love." I didn't blush but I could almost hear the poof of mitsuris brain functions stopping.

"I think I broke her." The woman had a sly, teasing smirk on her face.

"it would appear so. She'll be fine in a minute or two." Senjumaru looked at me strangely.

"usually someone would be embarrassed by not only being naked in front of a woman, but standing next to a naked woman. Two beautiful women at that."

"Well, I have plenty of... experience, with women. Such things don't really embarrass me. But onto another topic, how long are you going to make us stand here naked?" The woman pulled a fan from nowhere and covered her mouth with it using a mechanical arm.

Her eyes were still visible and had a devious look in them.

"I've had your measurements since the moment you stripped down." The woman threw two kimono's at me and I caught both of them.

The first was black with white flower patterns all over it. The second matched the colour of mitsuri's hair but there was a graduate change in colours the lower the kimono went from pink to green.

I threw the kimono roughly where I heard mitsuri before slipping mine on. I gave her a bit but I noticed senjumaru was leaving.

"Are you ready, mitsuri?"

"sorry! It's... just embarrassing to be seen naked." I nodded my head and followed after the weaver.

"it's natural to be embarrassed if you're seen naked. I wasn't simply because of personal experience. Any other man might've tried to cover up or even blushed." Mitsuri jogged up to me and the switch flipped.

My eyes darted back to our clothes and our swords before they disappeared.

Off the schrift went.

"what do you think this is going to be like?" I put my arms in the sleeves of my kimono.

"probably soothing. At least for me. I like the quiet, to be alone with my own thoughts every now and then. Sewing is a precise profession that takes lengthy amounts of time but it also requires heavy amounts of focus. It may be an interesting hobby."

"I see... what do you think of me?" I was quite surprised by the question as it seemed to be random, but I wasn't completely oblivious to her feelings, but I expected it to take a bit longer before any questions like this.

"you're an attractive young woman and despite me creating you, I do view you as an actual person. You're caring, kind and loving. A gentle person. But, you also seem to focus a bit too much on what people think of you." There was a radiant smile on her face at first but it faltered slightly at my last statement.

"are you done? If so, then let's get to work." Without even realising, we were in a much more regal-looking room with purple cloth covering the floor, walls and ceiling. The purple had gold lining and gave off a feeling of authority.

"do you know the basics? Well, we're going over them either way." A few tables that seemed to be made of sewing thread appeared in front of us.

On the tables were a single spool of sewing thread and a needle.

"the spool contains a special sewing thread created from reishi. The amount, density and speed at which the thread extends can be controlled by whoever is holding the spool." I looked over to mitsuri who was somehow already covered in thread.

'well, I shouldn't be too surprised. The first time she used reishi was when she used hirenyaku. Mitsuri hasn't learned to properly control and utilise her reiatsu.' I took a step forward but found I couldn't take another step forward due to a needle that had been thrown into my foot.

"focus on your own work. I will help the girl out. You just try and make something. It doesn't matter what." I crouched down and removed the needle before turning back to my own table.

I took hold of the spool and pulled some thread out. Incredibly smooth, soft and very high quality. I slowly took the end and pushed it through the eye of the needle.

My eyes darted to mitsuri who had been fished out of the mound of sewing thread. There was a very noticeable blush across mitsuri's face. Likely from embarrassment.

'how do I start? There's no foundation to sew into. Maybe, create one?'

(Note, I want you all to acknowledge, I know absolutely Jack shit about sewing. So if I'm wrong, roll with it.)

I lined up the threads next to each other horizontally then started to... 'wrap' the thread with thread vertically. I cut the thread and tied the two pieces together around the edges before tying a knot on the corner.

That didn't take long. But how would I do more complicated things like creating clothing? I noticed that I had pricked my finger on the needle.

'that's a very sharp needle. I didn't even feel it pierce my scales.' I attempted to use the healing technique that tenjiro taught us, but to no avail.

The injury would not heal.

With a sigh, I activated my schrift. I imagined the wound healing and it did so. I wonder what it would like to be a master tailor? Fuck...

Immediately, the knowledge was crammed into my head, the pain being all too familiar to me now. I hate how my mind wanders. Off the schrift went and my head went into my palms.

Why did I have to imagine that? When it comes to learning, I enjoy the process of learning skills and the like. But this is the second time my thoughts have wandered and caused a mistake that led to disappointment.

Without even realising, I had made a complete dress. To be specific, the dress of one shalltear bloodfallen.

S"you went from an eager amateur, to an irritated master in an instant. Very strange. I believe this is the result of an ability of yours. Maybe the ability to learn hundreds... no, thousands of times faster than the average person. Am I right?" Her constant sly grin was unfaltering even in the eyes of the unkown.

Mitsuri was completely silent. Her mouth was left agape, completely shocked at the dress.

"how? How did you learn so fast?" With a sigh, I ran my fingers through my her and put a hand on my hip.

"my original ability allows whatever I imagine to become reality. I imagined myself as a master accidentally. I would have much preferred to just learn it step by step." There was visible surprise in the weavers' eyes.

"can I see an example of the extent at to which it works?" Senjumaru had used flash step to appear right in front of me, clearly intrigued by the visionary.

"what would you like me to do?"

"as both an aromantic and asexual woman, I want you to make me both romantically and sexually attracted to you." I frowned at her. This feels... incredibly wrong.

"No. Using my schrift to emotionally alter a living being is a filthy thing to do." By the time I had finished, there were several needles pointed at my throat.

"I merely wish to test whether your imagination can affect not only physical things, but non-physical or conceptual things. Altering a person's emotions sounds like a satisfactory test. Not to mention, I too am curious to feel these emotions." It was only now did I realise, how truly mad senjumaru shutara was.

'I'm disgusted with myself. To think I'd do something like this. Even if forced.' I briefly debated running, but I knew that won't work. Even with the skill and abilities of ywach, getting away from senjumaru would be nigh impossible with my combat experience.

I activated my schrift and did exactly as the mad woman wished. Despite my disgust.

A slight blush became visible on the cheek of the zero squad member.

"my face feels hot. Strange. My heart thumps in my chest much harder than usual. So many different feelings. But these foreign experiences are not unwelcome. How odd. Such annoyances as this would disrupt my work and irritate me to no end. But they don't? Very odd indeed."

"did you have to do such a horrible thing?" I didn't respond to her.

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Walter disappeared from the two women's sight and mitsuri looked just about ready to cry.

"don't bother trying to find him. It's a fruitless effort with your skill level. Not only that, he needs alone time. He was strongly against altering my emotions but I forced him to do it anyway. Walter Newgate seems to ignore how twisted the world truly is and cannot accept that he has done something so against his morals."

"I... I guess you're right. Let's... no, send me back to tenjiro." Shutara raised an eyebrow but launched the saddened woman regardless.

"Walter Newgate... I wonder what kind of King you'll be, no... what kind of emperor you'll be? I... have high hopes for you. My new king..." The captain of the thousand hands held her right hand to her cheek, her eyes wandered and senjumaru seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

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Walter Newgate. A good and compassionate man. Walter had no interest in forcing people to do what they didn't want to. Playing with people's emotions. Their livelihood. Their desires.

Changing any of these with force feels dirty to Walter. But Walter had a realisation.

The soul society is built on a lie. Hueco Mundo is kill or be killed and with the state the world of the living is in currently, thats a similar situation.

Walter began to think about people's goals.

Ichigo wanted to protect.

Ywach wanted to create a world without fear of death.

Aizen wanted to eliminate any who stand above him.

Walter... Walter didn't know what he wanted. He is the soul King's brain. Destined to become the next soul king.

Possessing the abilities of Kenpachi Zaraki and ywach. Immense power was in his hands...

But what did he want to do with it?

Ywachs ideal world was a no-go. The soul king is wise. But he willingly let the world be split. He must have a reason.

Aizen... a completely fruitless goal. There is always someone stronger. Such a goal is a neverending struggle with no time for rest and relaxation.

A lonely path indeed.

Ichigo Kurosaki

The strawberry who wants to protect. Such a goal did appeal to Walter. Protecting those close to him. But Walter had few close to him.

So who did he really want to protect?

Walter was not an idealist who seeked to better the world. He was but a simple man who wanted to protect that which was close to him.

But in this new world, there's very few things that are close to Walter.

Therefore, he shall protect his sternritter if they are ever in danger.

After all, Walter is cautious. Making a random person a sternritter is simply out of the question.

Trust is a necessity. If he does not trust someone, why keep them close? Walter had heard the words, 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' but Walter always believed that simply makes a betrayal easier.

Walter Newgate, was truly a simple man.

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