[Akira Shinoda] Chapter One: ​Jishin

Chapter One: Jishin (児神, A Newborn God)

Atop the highest mountain outside of Karakara-cho, an Arrancar waits with a hibernation pod.
Inside of it is a young girl who may rise to change the course of Soul Society.
But first she must be awakened.
The one who will do so approaches.
The saga of Akira Shinoda is about to begin...

Though she had no reason to be frightened, Oscurra del Sol could not help her apprehension at the thought of the man approaching. Raizo Shinoda had assured the Arrancar hybrid that she had no reason to fear Kumori Shuren, but the reputation of the Visored Commander preceded him. For Raizo to be friends with such a person was almost unthinkable, Oscurra thought. Raizo was warm and caring, devoted to justice and the good of all. Though Raizo had not outright indicted Shuren, his warning to her to be ready for a person who was not as kind as he was spoke volumes. Though she was not afraid, she knew it was foolish not to be on her guard around such a powerful and not necessarily friendly being.

A cool breeze brushed across her brow, a welcome reprieve from the sunshine beating down on her. As it cooled the beads of perspiration that had gathered along her hairline, she wiped the sweat away with a hand, pushing her hair back in a pensive habit she had acquired from Raizo. It was a beautiful day. If only she was here to enjoy it, instead of running errands. Then again, if it was for the late Tenth Division Captain, she would not be alive. The girl in the hibernation pod was his care and her charge. Oscurra wouldn't abandon this responsibility for anything.

Shuren appeared on top of a building in the middle of Karakura Town. He had used his teleportation spell to arrive; yet there were no Hiraishin markers on the place he needed to go at. So for once, instead of aiming and throwing a kunai at his destination he decided go there the old fashioned way. When he final made his way to the top of the mountain, the Vizard easily spotted two things. A pod that he assumed contained the girl and next to it an Arrancar. As both of the things that were mentioned in Raizo’s scroll were present, Shuren walked towards the Arrancar slowly. The winds that took away the strain of the heat started to blow more fiercely as clouds shortly obscured the sun. “Raizo trusted you and that means a great deal. But it doesn’t mean that you have my trust as well. At least not yet.” said the Commander and continued to approach the Arrancar until he was only several centimeters away from her. “If I see you step out of the line, what I’ll do to you will make death look like a pleasant gift.” He knew that Raizo had asked him to remain respectful, but Shuren believed that a total stranger had to earn that. Besides he was giving her a chance to begin with, which was way more than what other people could ever hope for. Without waiting for an answer, he walked towards the pod and started to examine it, trying to find a way for activation. Ignoring Oscura’s gesture for him to go ahead, Shuren activated the pod after several minutes of tinkering. Then he proceeded to step back to watch the girl inside emerge.

"Tch... this man..."

Already exasperated by the Visored, Oscurra stepped back to let Shuren tinker with the machine. Though she had no reason to doubt his intentions, the man was every inch the character Raizo had described. How could the deceased Captain have dealt with someone like this?

Oscurra might have had more time to ponder that question. A pneumatic hiss and the whirring of gears interrupted her focus as the pod began to open. Shuren had done it.

***

"What... what is this..."

It caught a reflection of itself in the polished side of the pod, its hands moving around groggily to explore its environement. A young face with long hair looked back it. Feminine, it knew, though it did not know how. So she was a girl, she decided.

"Who... am I..."

And somehow, she knew that too. Was it her own mind, or another voice that whispered into hers, ever so gently, "Akira. Akira Shinoda."

That was who she was, sure enough. But who were these people outside of this... was this a coffin? This pod she was in? And then Akira realized that she was submerged in some sort of liquid. Panic seized her for a moment - she must be drowning! - but she soon realized she was breathing steadily. "The liquid must be oxygenated." Again, another moment of knowing things without knowing how! What was going on here? Perhaps the people outside of this strange liquid and coffin-like object could tell her. She reached out with both hands to grab the sides of the pod - ah, she was wearing clothes, a red and gold garment - and pulled her head and body out. Standing in the sunlight, her black hair and clothing slick with moisture, she mumbled a question to the unknown man and woman near her. Akira realized as soon as the words left her mouth that they were barely audible, so she asked again with more confidence.

"Who are you? Where is this?"

Eventually the girl emerged from the pod, and the commander could understand how she was feeling. Signs of surprise, shock and disbelief could be read from her facial expressions. Considering what she had emerged from these were all natural responses. Taking a step forward towards the girl after she asked a question, the Vizard calmly replied. “My name is Shuren. And we are in Karakura Town.” he said. He also noticed the state of the girl’s clothes: they were soaking wet. With a slow gesture of his right hand, making a circular clockwise motion, he created a gust of wind around Akira. It would dry her clothes and make her more comfortable. Once that was out of the way he decided that he would continue to take the lead. “Please try to calm down. We are here to help you.” he said reassuringly. For the first time he acknowledged the reason for Oscurra being there as well. After all, he didn’t know what kind of reaction he would get after this.