Ship: Inui Sadaharu/Kaidou Kaoru Fandom: The Prince of Tennis Major Tags: None Other Tags: Bleach AU, artificial intelligence/soul, definitely more science division Word Count: 443
***
Kaidou stands in the courtyard, swings his blade once, twice. It still feels awkward in his grip somehow. After all, it only manifested itself to him barely a week ago. An it still hadn’t told him its name. It hadn’t even spoke to him, which was fine as far as Kaidou was concerned; he wasn’t a big conversationalist anyway. But, as he understood it, talking was apparently an essential part of the process.
Not far from him, he can hear the rhythmic scratching of pen on paper, long strokes that would come together in the most unreadable notes. Kaidou doesn’t pay it much mind, but the subtle sound adds to the background noise around him. He drinks in all of them, and tries to focus on the task at hand. He goes through the motions, the forms he had been taught for fighting with a zanpakuto, and just cycles through until the moves feel a little crisper.
There’s still no talking coming from his blade and he glares at it a little.
“You’re doing quite well,” Inui says, and Kaidou nearly jumps, having been so focused on his blade that he didn’t even hear his captain move. Kaidou looks, and Inui is looming over him, not smiling, but somehow almost “None of the others were even able to summon a sword.”
Somehow, Kaidou doesn’t find himself comforted, but he doesn’t say anything.
“It was once thought that a gikon summoning a zanpakuto was simply impossible. One of the things that science could never replicate about the human soul. But science is ever evolving. Nothing stays impossible forever. At least, science can find a way around most things, in any case.”
Inui keeps rambling, and Kaidou listens. That’s what he does, what he’s used to, what he’s comfortable with. He looks at his blade instead of making eye contact.
When Kaidou looks up, Inui is staring at him. For a moment, Kaidou wonders if he hadn’t been listening closely enough and maybe he missed something.
“Taichou?” Kaidou asks.
Inui shakes his head. “I just don’t want you to worry about it. You’re a fine fighter regardless.”
Kaidou frowns. Inui seems to have said all he intended to say, and turns, ending the conversation.
“Do you even think it’s possible?” Kaidou asks, before he can stop himself.
Inui turns. “What do you mean?”
“I’m…” Kaidou stops, reconsiders, and sighs. “I’m artificial… so, what if that means my zanpakuto will never speak to me.”
Inui shook his head. “Didn’t you hear me? Nothing in science stays impossible forever.”
Kaidou caught a bit of a grin on his captain’s face, and Kaidou couldn’t help but return it.
FILL: Team Prince of Tennis, G
Fandom: The Prince of Tennis
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: Bleach AU, artificial intelligence/soul, definitely more science division
Word Count: 443
***
Kaidou stands in the courtyard, swings his blade once, twice. It still feels awkward in his grip somehow. After all, it only manifested itself to him barely a week ago. An it still hadn’t told him its name. It hadn’t even spoke to him, which was fine as far as Kaidou was concerned; he wasn’t a big conversationalist anyway. But, as he understood it, talking was apparently an essential part of the process.
Not far from him, he can hear the rhythmic scratching of pen on paper, long strokes that would come together in the most unreadable notes. Kaidou doesn’t pay it much mind, but the subtle sound adds to the background noise around him. He drinks in all of them, and tries to focus on the task at hand. He goes through the motions, the forms he had been taught for fighting with a zanpakuto, and just cycles through until the moves feel a little crisper.
There’s still no talking coming from his blade and he glares at it a little.
“You’re doing quite well,” Inui says, and Kaidou nearly jumps, having been so focused on his blade that he didn’t even hear his captain move. Kaidou looks, and Inui is looming over him, not smiling, but somehow almost “None of the others were even able to summon a sword.”
Somehow, Kaidou doesn’t find himself comforted, but he doesn’t say anything.
“It was once thought that a gikon summoning a zanpakuto was simply impossible. One of the things that science could never replicate about the human soul. But science is ever evolving. Nothing stays impossible forever. At least, science can find a way around most things, in any case.”
Inui keeps rambling, and Kaidou listens. That’s what he does, what he’s used to, what he’s comfortable with. He looks at his blade instead of making eye contact.
When Kaidou looks up, Inui is staring at him. For a moment, Kaidou wonders if he hadn’t been listening closely enough and maybe he missed something.
“Taichou?” Kaidou asks.
Inui shakes his head. “I just don’t want you to worry about it. You’re a fine fighter regardless.”
Kaidou frowns. Inui seems to have said all he intended to say, and turns, ending the conversation.
“Do you even think it’s possible?” Kaidou asks, before he can stop himself.
Inui turns. “What do you mean?”
“I’m…” Kaidou stops, reconsiders, and sighs. “I’m artificial… so, what if that means my zanpakuto will never speak to me.”
Inui shook his head. “Didn’t you hear me? Nothing in science stays impossible forever.”
Kaidou caught a bit of a grin on his captain’s face, and Kaidou couldn’t help but return it.