Makoto spent nearly half an hour elucidating the workings of his Reishi Transmitter, finally sating Senjumaru's insatiable curiosity.
True to form, she was the type to act the moment inspiration struck. Barely had he finished when she itched to dash off and craft one herself.
"Hey, hold on!"
Seeing her about to bolt with his idea for free, Makoto lunged, grabbing her arm.
"You've got more concepts up your sleeve?"
Senjumaru no longer dared underestimate him.
Who could've guessed?
This brawler who seemed more monkey than maker had devised a Reishi tool brimming with potential.
Was this the infinite monkey theorem at play?[1]
"Not quite."
Makoto pointed at her, then at his sword. "But after hearing my idea, shouldn't you offer some payment? What about that method to shut it up?"
"That, huh…"
Senjumaru's face sagged with palpable disappointment.
Then, from beneath her flowing skirt, something tail-like slithered, startling Kirio at Makoto's side. The girl yelped and shrank back.
The stinky-mouthed onee-san has a monster under her skirt!
Makoto, though, seemed to recall something.
Sure enough...
A bony arm emerged from behind Senjumaru, clutching a faintly familiar string of bracelet. She handed it over casually.
"Here."
"One of my treasures..."
"The Bracelet of Silent Oath."
The strand, about a foot long, gleamed with gem-hued beads strung together, its center adorned with two canine fangs faintly shimmering with a thunderous glow.
True to her word, Senjumaru pressed it into Makoto's hand, explaining offhandedly, "Wrap it between the guard and scabbard, and it'll hush that chatterbox. Needs a chant, though."
Makoto eyed the bracelet, then arched a brow at the mention of a chant. A nagging sense of déjà vu crept in. "So, the chant's 'sit'?"
"No." Senjumaru shot him an odd look. "It's 'shut up,' obviously! What's with that weird leap of logic? You're a mystery."
Makoto exhaled in relief, not the beads from that dog-eared tale, then.
"There's a catch, though..." Senjumaru added. "It only works thrice a day, three minutes max per use. The stronger the Zanpakutō, the less effective it gets. Something like Ryūjin Jakka might just set it ablaze. Honestly, I've been meaning to toss it."
"Three minutes…"
Makoto's face twisted reluctantly, but something beat nothing, a first step past zero.
"Thanks, then."
[Fuck! No way, not that!]
[Shoving something that big shit from your gyatt in my mouth, wahhh…!]
Before the blade could ramble further, Makoto, with a steely glint, wound the bracelet into place.
In proper settings, he'd rather tote a glorified stick than this nuisance.
Senjumaru cast a sidelong glance at his waist, a sudden grin curling her lips. "Oh, and that bracelet has a quirky little perk for Jinzen, too."
"For real?"
Makoto's eyes widened in disbelief. There's more to it?!
Senjumaru's expression turned faintly cryptic, a low chuckle escaping her. "Let's just hope you don't come seeking revenge later."
"No way!"
"If something that dumb happened, I'd do a handstand and, cough, cough!"
Makoto's sincerity shone through, earnest to a fault.
Shikai, Bankai, they haunted his dreams.
But he couldn't even commune with his Zanpakuto's spirit.
Given the choice, who'd want to end up like Zaraki Kenpachi, hacking away with a chipped sword all day?
Though… Zaraki did have a girl tagging along.
Makoto glanced down at Kirio. She peered back, bewildered.
Well, he had one too!
Confidence surged in an instant.
After Senjumaru took her leave, Makoto wandered the grounds with Kirio in tow. Half a day yielded no sign of a nursery or caretaker, so he kept her close.
Only when he sensed Unohana's reiatsu depart the dojo did he dutifully head to the training grounds.
…
"Kirio-chan, listen up."
Makoto crouched, addressing the tiny figure beside him with the utmost gravity.
"My talents are extraordinary, so my learning style's a bit… unique. When that weird auntie starts teaching me, watch closely. If I can't figure it out this way, I'll have to send you to the school proper. Got it, Kirio-chan?"
"Got it!"
Kirio's small face hardened with resolve, nodding obediently.
Adversity forges strength, orphaned and alone, and children mature fast.
Makoto grinned, ruffling her hair.
"You planning to adopt her?"
Unohana's voice cut through from behind, unbidden.
Makoto's body locked up, a silent prayer racing through him that she hadn't overheard.
Turning, he met her usual inscrutable calm, her face an unrippled pond.
[Yeah, weird auntie! He just said-]
His bratty blade seized the chance for payback.
"Shut up!"
Cold sweat beaded down Makoto's spine as he barked the command.
The bracelet on the scabbard flared, a dull red glow silencing the rest into garbled static.
Kirio blinked up at him, puzzled by his sudden tension.
Makoto lifted his gaze warily, only to find Unohana's smile shift, half-there, half-not. She said nothing, just watched him quietly.
"Captain Unohana, what I meant was…" He flashed an ingratiating grin.
"Just sensei will do."
Her faint smile lingered as she left the words hanging.
"Yes, sensei!"
Makoto seized the lifeline, sliding down the slope with ease.
She turned, strolling to the training ground's edge, and plucked a wooden sword from the rack.
As Makoto moved to grab one too, she stopped him.
"No need. Use your real blade, as usual."
Her tone was even, her deep eyes steady on him, a trace of a smile still playing on her lips. "Show me. That technique you forged in battle."
Realization dawned, Unohana meant to refine his flaws.
At that, he steeled himself fully.
His left hand coiled the beads, steps measured as he drew his Zanpakuto and approached the center.
He summoned the memory of felling that Adjuchas, the tactile snap of cleaving Hierro, every sensation razor-sharp in his mind.
When all was set, he opened his eyes anew.
"Please guide me."
---
[1] The infinite monkey theorem states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type any given text, including the complete works of William Shakespeare.
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Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
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