chapter 7

We were flying through the air and I looked down to see a large extravagant Palace. It was mentioned that nimaiya doesn't like to acknowledge the shack he lives in.

But the main test here is to see whether I can distinguish between zanpakuto and soul reaper. I am confident mitsuri and yachiru can.

Myself, not so much. I'm aware that all the girls are zanpakuto, but, nimaiya can probably tell whether I'm stating something or I've actually noticed the differences in reiatsu. There's likely to be a difference because a soul reaper and a zanpakuto are fundamentally different.

But Renji and Ichigo don't have very good sensory abilities, so that's likely why they couldn't tell.

I saw that the ground was close approaching and grabbed mitsuri into a bridal carry. I'm confident my body can take the fall, not positive about mitsuri's body.

With a loud thud, we landed on the wooden floor of nimaiya ouetsu's houhou Palace.

"take a seat, my guests!" The energetic and boisterous voice of ouetsu nimaiya himself rang through my ears.

"I'd rather not. We're here on business, not pleasure." I placed mitsuri down.

"this guy is... a bit weird." A small laugh escaped my lips.

"that's putting it lightly."

"I'm the one and only creator of zanpakuto! Ouetsu nimaiya! Nice to meetcha!" He stood in a strange Y-shaped stance with bent knees.

"since it's the Kings order, I'll cut to the chase. Follow me." He pushed open the door to his Palace.

"welcome esteemed guests!" Many voices yelled aloud, female voices.

Each of them were inhumanely beautiful... too beautiful. I focused my senses and saw ribbons, all were slightly different in colour but all the ribbons shared a slight tint of red.

I suppose the slight tint of red symbolises zanpakuto and the other colours are reliant on personality or maybe emotion. Not too sure.

"it seems you've noticed. Impressive. I take it you looked at their reiatsu and noticed similarities. It's a good thing you're not morons." Mitsuri hit her fist into the palm of her hand.

"so that's why they felt similar to my sword! Wait... moron?" There was a confused look on her face.

"let's just follow him." He pushed open another door where we saw a shack upon a cliff some distance away.

"since you're able to recognise zanpakuto, I'll forge you one myself." We walked towards nimaiya's shack in complete silence but nimaiya glanced at mitsuri's zanpakuto.

"I don't remember creating that zanpakuto. It seems fundamentally different from my original design." I placed my hand on the back of my neck.

'do I tell him? I don't know. He may be offended due to it being a pale imitation.'

"I made it. With my imagination. It's one of my abilities, I'd rather not explain. But I do apologise if I've offended you." Nimaiya kept silent as we stopped in front of the door to his shack.

"it kinda annoys me how ya went an made a cheap copy on what I can only guess was a whim. But the King's orders overrule my personal feelings." The sword god pushed open his shack to reveal a desolate plain.

"but... if I'm abouta forge ya a zanpakuto, ya gonna need to pick out an asauchi." I felt many blades behind me, as if I was about to die.

Like when I fought yachiru.

I turned to my humanoid opponents.

'how am I going to do this? Should I choose those that represent my personality? My heritage?' I focused my senses just like before.

Many different ribbons appeared, again, each held a tint of red. But I have a guess at what some of the others mean.

Gold and blue

Gold I believe represents pride. Pride is something that both dragons and Quincy have in common.

Blue is calm. Calm is something that I very much like. It's also something I make a conscious effort to be.

That's why I chose two asauchi.

There wasn't a single asauchi that was both prideful and calm. So I figured, why not both?

"interesting choice, Walter-chan! I can feel ya got a good reason. Let's go. I'll forge ya blade for ya!" Five zanpakuto appeared behind nimaiya.

"the shows about to go! Welcome to my show!" I watched as nimaiya tied his hair back, one of the girls tore out a tooth but it quickly formed a black hammer. Three of the other girls helped to make a pool of water for cooling.

"you're a part of it too, asauchi's." The two blades flew past my head.

"isn't it about to begin, no?" I stepped back and pulled mitsuri with me.

I watched as nimaiya masterfully hammered away at the blades, the ribbons became more elegant, more refined. It's an interesting process to observe.

But nonetheless, I'm well aware that Shikai and Bankai will need to be achieved. If I'm lucky, I can learn its name by just asking. That will handle the Shikai. The Bankai... I'm in no rush so kisuke's method is unnecessary.

I don't like risks.

"pick us up... take us out... WIELD US!" What? My body began to move on its own, I walked up to the water in which the blades rested.

Nimaiya didn't look fazed but one of the zanpakuto seemed concerned. I was also concerned, I'm about to dip my hands in boiling water after all.

I didn't bother with gritting my teeth or preparing for pain. I decided to just trust my new biology. I took a grip of the two blades, soft, delicate handles.

I felt no heat or pain from the water and swiftly pulled the two blades from the water. I immediately noticed the difference in length of the two blades.

The left blade's handle was a midnight black but the blade's edge was red with a flame-like pattern coming off. There was Japanese lettering at the base of the blade, it read 'pride'. This blade was slightly shorter.

I looked to the right blade, its handle was identical but the blade's edge was blue with wave-like patterns. It also held Japanese lettering.

The lettering read 'Halcyon'.

I can only assume that means something similar to calm.

"how's it feel?" I almost said perfect on reflex, but remembering Mayuri I felt that wasn't the right word.

"exceptional. These blades are exceptional. The weight distribution feels amazing, the grips feel like I've used the sword for years, more importantly, they feel like an old friend."

"Walt-chan, it's only to be expected. I'm the number one zanpakuto creator, ouetsu nimaiya! I'll send ya off with a little warning. Senju-chan is a bit crazy."

"wait what?!" He grinned at me before I was launched away. I looked down to see mitsuri already hugging my chest with a terrified expression on her face.

'when did she grab onto me? Did she use hirenyaku again?' I wrapped my arms around her as a way of comfort.

"you'll be fine. You don't need to worry with me here." Mitsuri looked at me with teary eyes.

'I suppose it only makes sense she's terrified. She mentally prepared herself the last time. There wasn't time to do so this time. I should probably put these blades away.' I activated the visionary for a moment and two sheaths appeared on my left and right side.

While simultaneously flipping the switch, I sheathed my blades.

'nimaiya's warning is to be heeded. I recall senjumaru threatening to castrate Renji.' I glanced to our destination.

'it's still quite far away. At the speed we're going, it'll be five or ten minutes at least. Hmm, melascula. I was paranoid about her but depending on the progress she's made... I might make her a sternritter. Ophis... I don't know where she went but I should give her the offer as well.' I shuffled through my thoughts until a specific one came to mind.

'I'm not taking ichibe. Tenjiro is a yes. Nimaiya... he's too strange for my liking. Senjumaru... she's very dangerous but her abilities are very special. If possible, I would like to learn how to sew with reishi because it may be possible to apply those methods to magic.' I felt mitsuri's grip tighten on my waist and glanced back to senjumaru's Palace.

"a minute or two until we arrive. Eight minutes pass by really fast. Are you alright, mitsuri?" A nod of her head is all I received in response.

"focus on me mitsuri. My voice, my presence, focus on that. Ignore our surroundings and listen to my voice. We will not die. We will survive. We survived the Last fall easily enough. This one is no different."

"i-i know. I-i don't like heights! The thought that the slightest mistake could make me fall to a quick death! It's terrifying!" I stroked her hair slowly and methodically.

"fear is an ever-present being in our lives. Whether fear is our ally or our foe is entirely a result of our upbringing. But letting fear control both your life and fate, it's not an option. Because then it is no longer your fate. You'll become an aimless wanderer. That is something I wouldn't want to happen to anyone. To lose their goals in life." I gazed at the approaching ground.

"you sound... really, really old, Walter." There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

'at least she isn't sad anymore.' The ground was close approaching so I twisted my body to land appropriately. I was forced to move mitsuri into a piggyback carry and we landed with a very quiet thud.

This Palace looked very weird. It's as if someone took various works of art and tapestry before sewing them together haphazardly. Some of these are just intricate designs sewn into bland colours.

Depending on the angles and areas you view the areas from, this place can either be bland, beautiful or ugly.

"Walter... what... what is this place?" Mitsuri was confused, honestly, had I not read the manga, I would be too. This place looks like a patchwork Palace.

"This is the Palace of senjumaru shutara. The woman who created the uniform of soul reapers, alternatively known as the shihakusho. A figurative mastermind when it comes to the speed at which she can sew and is able to come up with counter strategies on the spot. She is also known as senjumaru of the thousand hands."

"someone thinks quite highly of me." The voice was full of pride in her actions, like she was gloating.

"is it not natural to think so highly of the zero squad? You each are a part of the soul society's history. Nimaiya created the zanpakuto, tenjiro created the healing techniques, I already explained you and ichibe... he named everything in soul society... among other things."

"you are correct. It seems you're well versed in the soul society's history. Ichibe likely only gave swordsmanship training, the brute... a little healing but mostly hand-to-hand combat. Ouetsu... he forged you a zanpakuto. Am I correct?" I calmly nodded my head.

Mitsuri quickly got off my back and stood at my side.

"it confuses me why you call tenjiro the brute but from what little he said... I felt like the two of you wouldn't get along."

"correct. The brute and I don't get along because of his crass attitude towards my Palace. Ignoring any and all previous notions, I am going to teach you all to sew. But right now, I am going to need to get your measurements, strip." The woman held several needles in each mechanical hand with a dangerous look in her eyes.

_________________________________________