The Next Top Model: Soul Society

by Otaku X

  Chapter 19: Feudal Photo Shoot

  Tara peeked hesitantly into the first room in the early hours of dawn, spotting Rangiku, Nanao, and Orihime in three of the four beds in the lavender bedroom before she moved down the hall. The pink room was empty. Only one bed was occupied in the green room, by Yoruichi. Tara moved farther down the hall to see into the last room.

  Inside the yellow room was Yumichika, snoring at the farthest bed, with Nemu sitting on the bed near the door, looking back at Tara.

  "Hi," Tara whispered, a little startled to see the girl awake, fully dressed in black shorts and tank top, looking back at her.

  "Good morning, Tara," Nemu whispered back.

  Tara's uneasy smile slipped as she turned back down the hall, shaking her head. "Strange girl," she murmured, glimpsing into the green room as she went, then halting as Yoruichi sat up in bed, pulling her mint colored sheets up to cover her bare chest.

  "'Morning, Tara," the contestant said, smiling.

  "Hi," Tara said, looking around at the walls, her smile falling. "Where are the pictures?"

  Yoruichi's smile turned playful. "What pictures, Tara?"

  "Hmm, there are supposed to be my photos on the walls in every room. I'll tell housekeeping..." Tara's pushed her smile into place, always the top model that she was.

  "Tara's here!" Orihime cried from two feet away from her in the hall, jolting the super model.

  Tara smiled, recovered, and flung her arms out, exposing her bright pink kimono, tied right over left - making Orihime cringe - and giggled. "Good morning, girls! Up and at it! Time for breakfast!"

  It took two minutes for the contestants to find robes - or, in Yoruichi's case, any clothes at all - and join Tara in the kitchen for jelly buns and tea. On the counter were two large pastry boxes of the buns, from sweet bean paste to strawberry jam to custards.

  "How are you all adjusting to the life of a model?" Tara asked, smiling at them as they munched on buns. "Harder than you thought? Easier? Anyone missing home?"

  Everyone nodded but Nemu.

  "That's one of the things all models have to face if they want to make it in the business," Tara continued. "Friends, family, your significant other. The fashion biz takes you all over the world, sometimes in an instant," she said, snapping her fingers for effect. "You never know when you'll be going, or even where you'll be going when that phone rings."

  Each of the contestants - except for Nemu - nodded with understanding, still contentedly eating pastries.

  "Gotta be on your toes. Since this is our final challenge in Tokyo," she said slowly, leadingly, smiling as they looked to her with a round of giggles, "we're going to see how your runway walk has improved from day one - kimono-style!"

  The six contestants squealed, jumping as much as some of them dared in their pajamas.

  "So, put the donuts down, step away from the counter, ladies," Tara said with mock seriousness, "and head on out to the pool for your kimono walk-off!"

  At the sunny poolside a raised runway was set up, industry wide, with a two foot drop, cameraman and crew already in place. Nearby was a rack of colorful kimonos, and the Rays, dressed each in blue jeans and gray Top Model t-shirts, Ray Migel's assistant at his side.

  Orihime pulled her short yellow robe tighter around herself and emitted a squeak when she saw the men. Both Rays chuckled.

  "Orihime, honey, we are past the embarrassed stage," Miss Ray told her as she hid behind Rangiku.

  Orihime nodded, blushing.

  Tara stepped off from the deck behind them and waved for everyone's attention. "This morning we're going to hold an impromptu judging on not only your walk, girls, but also your turns, and your rhythm," she said with an exaggerated wiggle of her hips. "Can't be knocking each other off the runway during the final walk at a show. Mr. Ray, you've got the floor."

  Ray Migel smiled. "Thank you, Tara." He looked out over the contestants. "Good morning, ladies!"

  "Good morning, Ray!" they called back.

  "This morning, Miss Ray and I," he said, gesturing to the runway coach beside him, who bowed, "will be synchronizing your end of the runway turns and elbows and hips so you can pass other models coming the opposite way. I know, sounds simple, right?" he said as a rift of giggling went through the contestants. "It should be, but sometimes models get the notion they're not going to yield, that they've got the right-of-way, and that's when the elbows and hips start flying. Let's see how we do."

  Miss Ray nodded. "On that rack, each of you will find a kimono with a tag bearing your name. Grab it and get changed, and remember to tie those shoelaces, ladies."

  Orihime's timidity disappeared as the six contestants rushed the rack of kimonos, and Ray's assistant mutedly told him of Tara's obi gaffe, which was quickly acted upon.

  Nanao pulled out a grass green kimono with her name on it, a floral pattern in orchid and white splayed along the bottom and edges. "How hard can it be to do a turn and walk past another model on a runway?" she mused, finding her sandals on the shoe rack below.

  "Well, if we don't walk with our hands on our hips and our elbows sticking out," Orihime said, finding her own yellow kimono, "it should be easy."

  Yoruichi shrugged. "Not a problem." She pulled out her silvery white kimono and looked around for the shoes below. She held up the platform sandals, raising an eyebrow at the six-inch soles and two-foot laces. "These will be interesting."

  The other contestants looked to her, then the sandals. A collective sigh went around, heaviest from Yumichika.

  They took turns - everyone first, followed by Yumichika - changing behind the draped area set up near the far hedges, and then got a quick touch-up and combing by the hair stylist and make-up crew, and then the Rays and Tara stood ready to judge at the poolside.

  "We want a strong walk," Ray told them as they stood in their kimonos and platform sandals, laces crossed to tie at their knees. "We want to see you work the kimono. They flow beautifully, and that's what we're looking for."

  "And strong turns," Miss Ray added, nodding. "Speed is your friend here, girls, so use it in your favor, but not too fast. You're not pulling up water-skiers."

  Tara stood to one side, her kimono now correctly tied, watching, sipping on her Diet Coke.

  Ray pointed. "Nemu, you're up first."

  The contestants fell back and watched Nemu take her walk. She did a perfect stomp down the black carpet, one hand on her hip, eyes on Ray, pausing just long enough for the brilliant blue kimono to fall around her before she turned and made a reverse trek, the hem waving gracefully behind her.

  "Now that was the ideal walk," Miss Ray said, clapping and looking to the other contestants.

  Nanao sighed as Yoruichi leaned to her.

  "Of course it was," the darker-skinned woman intoned lowly. Nanao nodded.

  "Take note, girls," Ray said, shaking a finger at Nemu. "That's the ideal walk. Now, let's see Orihime."

  The Living girl sheepishly clomped in her platform sandals to the edge of the runway, hesitant after Nemu's example. She smoothed her yellow kimono and began her best imitation.

  "More hip, honey," Miss Ray said, nodding as Orihime approached.

  Orihime obeyed, the bright fabric suddenly rotating exaggeratedly from side to side.

  "Whoa, whoa," Ray said, grinning as Orihime stopped at the end of the runway. "You're rocking the boat, Orihime. Don't disjoint a hip; just swing it."

  "Okay." She did a twirl of a turn and set off back down the runway with a little less sway.

  "Better," Ray said. "Yoruichi, you're up."

  Yoruichi and Rangiku followed with their curvy walks, bringing drools from the cameramen and compliments from the Rays. Nanao rolled her eyes, and took her turn, putting as much swagger into her walk as she could, nearly toppling herself twice.

  "Not too much, hon," Miss Ray cautioned. "You gotta keep your rhythm and your balance."

  Nanao tilted her chin and snapped a turn, the green kimono following her as she returned.
<
br />   "Excellent turn, Nanao," Ray called to her. "Very good."

  Nanao smiled as Yumichika took the runway.

  Yumichika tightened the sash of his white kimono with orange and red flowers, deciding a moderate sashay would be enough. He trounced down the carpet, stopped at the end and did a quick turn before heading back to the other end.

  "More hip, Yumichika," Miss Ray called, bringing a giggle from the other contestants.

  Yumichika's walk didn't change.

  When he'd returned to line, the Rays nodded at them.

  "Not bad, not bad. Some pretty good," Ray said. "Now we're going to see how you do coming and going, passing each other, in full speed. I want you to form a line and begin your walk, each four seconds after the other, down the runway, and turn and go back, in a continuous loop until we say to stop. Any questions?"

  The contestants bobbed their heads in unison, but lined up.

  The walk began. First out was Nanao, followed after a few seconds by Orihime, Yoruichi, Nemu, Yumichika, and Rangiku, to be repeated. The Rays nodded as the loop appeared smooth, a few problem moments when Orihime's left hip nearly knocked Yumichika off the platform with her extra-oomph as they passed each other opposite, and a pause of a different sort for the Rays when for a few seconds Yoruichi's backside was aligned side-by-side, hip for hip in tandem, with Rangiku's head-on walk - both show-stopping - on the runway.

  "Guess this disproves the old adage about everyone being shapeless in a kimono," Miss Ray mumbled, eyes on the women as they passed each other, loose hair flouncing. Rangiku came to the end of the runway, made her turn, and continued back. "Hmm, makes you rethink the straight life, don't it?"

  Ray nodded. "Sure does."

  Tara joined them, leaning over their shoulders between them. "Having doubts, boys?"

  Ray sighed, watching the contestants make another loop on the runway. "The walk is there for most of them. Nemu has precision, but she lacks any, I don't know, warmth."

  "Orihime's got the knees knocking, hips rocking, but a little ankle clipping," Miss Ray said. "She straightened it out, though. She's teachable."

  "Rangiku and Yoruichi have strong walks, even with the hips and breasts, and handle the turns well," Ray said as the contestants made another pass.

  "They'd play everywhere," Tara said, nodding, sucking noisily at the straw in her Diet Coke. "Rangiku would snap up the cover of every top fashion magazine in four months. Yoruichi - women of color all over the world would kill to see how she wears anything."

  "There's something about her walk that makes it second nature," Miss Ray said. "Almost instinctive."

  Ray raised an eyebrow at the other two. "If she could just keep the hootch out of it, there'd be no stopping her."

  Tara nodded as the contestants made their sixth loop. "But Orihime has it, too. Not the same, something different. She's got a fresh liveliness the others lack."

  "She is younger," Miss Ray added.

  Tara nodded. "Something bouncy about her." She saw the Rays' attention go to Orihime's yellow kimono. "Not those bouncies, boys. Something innocent about her nature."

  "Maybe too innocent for this work?" Miss Ray asked.

  Tara and Ray shrugged.

  "Okay, enough fun. Wrap this up, boys," she said, sucking up the last of her soda with the straw. "They've got to pack."

  Ray nodded. He clapped his hands, looking at the contestants. "Very good, ladies. Now, line up for your critiques."

  The six contestants formed a line at the end of the runway, and the Rays looked at each one, leaving Tara to her soda.

  "Nemu, good walk," Ray said, nodding. "Yumichika, good, a little less with the shoulders, just so you don't knock the other models in the head."

  Yumichika looked to his shoulders, frowning.

  "Yoruichi, keeping the hootch under control," Ray said as he passed her. "Nice job. Orihime, good all-around walk. Nanao, a little more snap in your step, but otherwise good. Rangiku, strong, watch the hips as you pass the other model, especially if they're built like you." He looked at the line of contestants. "All in all, strong walks today."

  "Very good," Miss Ray added, nodding. "And this morning's winner is ..."

  Ray grinned out over the line. "Orihime!"

  Orihime clasped her hands over her mouth, smiling, hopping on her platform sandals until she nearly fell over.

  "You'll get a special advantage at the elimination photo shoot later," Ray told her as she steadied herself. He looked behind him to see Tara approaching. "And to tell you more about tomorrow's photo shoot, here is the lovely Tara Hills."

  Tara smiled out over them, hands on her hips. "I hope you're ready for a change of scenery, girls, because now you're going to pack up and head out to your new home!"

  Squeals went through the contestants.

  "Where?" Rangiku and Nanao asked together.

  Tara giggled. "Can't tell. You'll see when we get there."

  "Hawaii?" Orihime guessed hopefully.

  "Mmm, maybe ..." Tara said.

  "Ooh, Paris," Yoruichi said, grinning. "I've never been there."

  Tara only smiled. "Go on inside and pack up, girls, 'cuz we're moving out!"

  The house was located outside of town - far enough outside of town that the residents couldn't hear much of what went on inside the high bamboo, vine-covered walls that enclosed the comfortable, roomy house and courtyard.

  The layout of the few rooms was open, with rice paper dividers parting out the sleeping quarters - six beds - from the living area, which opened to an in-ground pool in the midst of the courtyard surrounded by house.

  It was a new pool, the contestants decided as they stood at the opening of the enclosed yard, with freshly grouted blue and green tiles surrounding it, a diving board at the deep end.

  But it was still a Shiba family house, and Yoruichi knew it.

  "Soul Society?!" Nanao said for the fourth time, violet eyes wide as she stared at their new living quarters. They'd all already said it a dozen times. "We come all this way, over these last weeks, to end up in Soul Society?!"

  Even Nemu wasn't completely aloof to the new residence as they stood still clutching their luggage. She handed Yoruichi a purple and gold envelope. "Tara said to read this when -"

  "Give me that," Yoruichi muttered, snatching the envelope open as they stood just inside the Shiba gates. "'Welcome to your new home, located just outside the beautiful village of Rukongai, near the picturesque Seireitei,'" she read, making a disagreeable face. "'This house has been in the Shiba family for generations, and has been allowed for our use by your gracious host Ganju Shiba-san' - Ganju?!" Her gold eyes searched the courtyard. "Did Tara even meet this joker? Who's in charge of accommodations for this show?"

  Rangiku looked over Yoruichi's shoulder. "It says to go in and make ourselves at home," she read from the bottom of the letter. "'Love, Tara.'"

  The contestants passed around confused and exasperated looks before heading into the house.

  "He better not be lurking around," Nanao said, one eye sharply peeled to the expansive house as they entered the main doors.

  "He won't be," Yumichika said, nearly walking over Orihime as she stopped in front of him and turned.

  "How do you know?" she asked as he sidestepped around her.

  Yumichika grinned as they continued into the house. "Gracious host Ganju? I'll bet Kuukaku doesn't know what her little brother is up to." They moved farther into the house and found the roomy sleeping quarters - one large room. "He must know his big sister is out of the competition, and he thinks he can play host to the rest of us. She must not be back yet."

  "Or elsewhere, like at the - well, not in the vicinity," Yoruichi finished as they dropped their bags in the room with the beds.

  They looked at the beds, a breeze sifting through the screens of the floor-length windows poolside, and then farther down the hall to the living quarters. Yoruichi put her bags on one of the beds dressed in mauve linens and fluffy pillows.

  "No
t too bad," she said with a sigh, nodding at the full-length mirrors at one bamboo wall, partially hidden with folding screens. "I guess Tara thought Soul Society sounded exotic."

  Everyone groaned, and then picked out their beds. Yumichika watched them, and then dragged one of the beds nearer to the door, ignoring Yoruichi's sly glance as he did.

  "It could be worse," Nanao said as she arranged her clothes in a rattan closet that she shared with Nemu. "We could be in Rukongai."

  A round of agreement went up from the other contestants.

  "What about Ganju's gang? The boar-riders," Orihime recalled with apprehension as she and Rangiku folded clothes into their closet.

  Yoruichi and Rangiku exchanged looks.

  "You see any peeping-toms, let us know," Yoruichi said. "But I don't think any of them would risk it."

  The evening passed uneventful, with a late dinner that they each took a hand in preparing, without prying eyes - except for the ever-present cameramen, who were taking shifts with the camera, being their usual invisible selves, relegated to a futon in a corner of the main living quarters.

  "Yumichika."

  He didn't stir, passing the voice off as a bit of dream.

  "Yumichika," it purred again.

  This time he opened his eyes in the early morning light to see Yoruichi standing at the fern green folding screen he'd set up as a divider between his bed and those of the others in the sleeping room.

  He frowned at her, rubbing his face. "What? Is Tara here?"

  "No, Tara's not here." She stepped closer, already dressed in a pair of white shorts and a pink tank top. "You don't have to put the screen up," she told him, pulling her dark hair up with both hands as she wound a hair-tie around it. "We're used to you."

  His frown intensified as he sat up more, pulling the sheet higher about himself. "Maybe I'm not used to you all."

  She raised an eyebrow. "I'd think you would be, by now."

  He watched her cautiously as she stepped to the side of his bed, cocking her head to one side as she looked him over closely.

  "I wouldn't worry about what Ray said about your shoulders," she said, nodding, a smile playing at her lips. "You have more of a slender build, not very broad-shouldered at all. I don't think you'd have to worry about bumping into the other models."

  He wished he had the nerve to growl at her. Instead he sat upright more. "What do you want, Yoruichi? Bored? Starting the teasing early today?"

  She mocked a wounded expression. "I don't tease you that much, Yumichika."

  He looked to each of her gold eyes. "What do you want?"

  She nodded to the sliding door. "Our gracious host is in the kitchen. Can you go tell him to keep out of the house while we're here?"

  "Ganju is here?"

  Yoruichi nodded.

  Yumichika rubbed his chin where dark stubble was starting, making him frown. "You want me to kick him out of his own house?"

  She nodded again.

  "Why me?"

  She smiled, eyes turning cat-like. "You're the man here, Yumichika."

  He shot her a look. "When it suits you."

  Ganju was arrayed in all his best clothes - all three layers of Shiba finery - by the time Yumichika got to the kitchen area in his robe.

  The host turned, already smiling broadly, standing with his hands on his hips with his gold and scarlet robes draped as ceremoniously over his ungainly form as they could be, when he saw Yumichika enter the room.

  "Agh! A man. What are you doing here?" Ganju barked at him.

  "You loud mouth, you invited us," Yumichika growled at him.

  "You? You're a contestant?"

  "Get used to it," Yumichika told him lowly, tying his robe tighter. "Why your house?"

  "I offered. Out of the goodness of my heart," Ganju said magnanimously, standing regal in his finery.

  "What did they pay you for this generosity?"

  Ganju looked guiltier than he did selfless. "... They put in the pool."

  "You got a pool out of this deal?"

  "An in-ground pool. And patio. It took half of Rukongai to dig it."

  Yumichika shook his head. "Another thing; no friends of yours here while the contestants are here. Understand?"

  Ganju's flaccid face grew lurid. "Are you telling me who can be in my house?"

  "Yes. None of your boar-riding gang, no spectators, no visitors, and no you." Yumichika frowned. "Tara wouldn't allow a man in the house with her models."

  "You're here."

  "I'm a contestant," Yumichika bit out, making the cameraman step a foot back. "I'll tell everyone you said 'Welcome to the Shiba House,' and now you can leave, understand?"

  Ganju thought it over, shooting a glare at the camera, and then Yumichika. "What if I just visit?"

  "No."

  "But I haven't seen any of the shows. Even that Kurotsuchi-san couldn't get the television to work. We don't get reception here."

  Yumichika shook his head. "Not my problem. No visits."

  They both looked to the doorway as a pink camisole-clad figure with red-brown hair trailing zipped past the kitchen in a blur.

  "Tara mail!" Orihime's voice rang out.

  Ganju just had time for a wide grin before Yumichika pushed him to the outside door. "Now, wait -"

  "That's it, Ganju. Thank you for the gracious use of the Shiba House," Yumichika said, pushing him through the door and sliding it shut as the man's meaty arm tried to reach for him. "No visits."

  "Eunuch!"

  Yumichika threw open the door, gave Ganju's ridiculous face a shove, and slid the door shut.

  By the time Yumichika joined the other five contestants in the main living area - nodding to Yoruichi who raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him - Nanao was already reading the note.

  "'You've only just arrived, but a model's life is non-stop,'" she read. "'You've made it to the stiffest part of the competition, which means you all have potential, but now it's time to pull out your inner warrior.'" She lowered the note, frowning.

  "She's going to make us battle it out," Orihime said slowly, looking to the shinigami surrounding her, paling. "It's going to be Battle Royale."

  "They can't do that," Rangiku said, shaking her head. "The producers would never allow it."

  Yoruichi laughed. "Look around. We're in Soul Society, in a Shiba house. Obviously the producers will allow anything."

  Orihime's face took on a sickened look.

  Yoruichi nudged her with an elbow, grinning at the girl's growing panic. "Just joking, kid. No Battle Royale. You'll see."

  Half an hour later the limousine pulled up before a deserted area out of view from Rukongai where the trees grew thick, the sloping landscape showing the valley below lush green.

  The contestants got out, still getting accustomed to their semi-new surroundings, and looked to the camera crew and make-up stations set up by the curtained-off changing area. The camera was angled at the set to show the valley as a natural backdrop, and near the changing area were two racks of thick, heavy garments.

  "Hallo, ladies!" Ray Migel called, appearing from the camera crew in a pair of black jeans and t-shirt that read 'I See Hollows' in neon blue.

  "Hi, Ray!" the contestants called back to him.

  "So, what do you think of your new digs?" he asked, smiling as they looked to each other for answers.

  "Spacious," Nemu said.

  They all looked to her, and then nodded quickly.

  "Oh, very spacious," Yoruichi agreed.

  "Roomy," Nanao added.

  "It has a nice breeze that smells like orchids," Orihime added, smiling.

  "Good. Your gracious host Ganju Shiba-san of the prominent Shiba family has opened his home to you, so I hope you can all appreciate that. Today," Ray continued, gesturing to the racks of clothing, "you're going to be showcasing Museum Replicas' newest addition to their already vast assortment of edged weaponry - Japanese swords, namely the katana."

  The contestants smiled, except for Orihime, who loo
ked a little lost. Even Nemu smiled. A little.

  "Now, we know some of you can handle a weapon," Ray said, nodding at Rangiku, "but there will be no fighting today. This photo shoot is about bringing out your fierce side, and I'm not talking about merely an intense face at the end of the runway. We want to see your samurai side today."

  The contestants nodded, smiling wider.

  "Good. Now, the weapons are not sharpened, but they can still be dangerous, so no Kill Bill routines out there unless you know what you're doing, okay?"

  "Okay, Ray!"

  "The emphasis is on the sword, but be sure not to put it in front of your face," he told them as his assistant handed him a clipboard. "We want fierce face, and a good strong pose with the sword. Product placement, model-style." He looked to the clipboard, and then to Orihime. "You won the kimono challenge yesterday, Orihime, so you get first choice of sword and armor."

  "Oh ... good," she said without much enthusiasm.

  Ray pointed to the two display racks of Museum Replicas swords. "Pick out your weapon, and then - carefully - make your way to wardrobe," he said, pointing to the racks of authentic period armor. "It's going to be hot, so I advise everyone to get your best shots as quickly as you can."

  Orihime chose her sword, sat through half an hour of make-up, and spent forty-five minutes being dressed by the two wardrobe attendants, who layered her with armaments of mixed periods in leather, metal, and padded fabric until she weighed nearly double.

  She made her way under the cumbersome attire to the photo shoot set where Ray and the camera crew waited, nearly panting in the heavy, hot outfit, very little of her face peeking out from the helmet on her head.

  Ray grinned at her as some of the contestants behind him were arguing over the swords. "Looking lethal, Orihime."

  "Thank you, Ray," she said as cheerfully as she could, raising her katana to him.

  "Now, we want to see you move, but you don't have to do fast or fluid. These are stills. Get to your pose, and hold it, and then move on to another," he told her. "Can you do that?"

  "Hai!"

  Orihime set off into a blocky pattern of stiff movements that both made her outfit creak and clank and exhausted her in fifteen minutes. Each pose was punctuated by a "Hai!" which at the end had petered out to a mere whimper.

  "Not too bad," Ray told her as she paused, panting. "But we need a few with you holding the sword over your head, so we can see your face better, sweetheart."

  "O-kay."

  Only Yumichika came close to filling out the samurai armor. He stood in full gear, watching Orihime's movements become slower and slower before the camera and photographer as Ray directed her.

  "She gets first choice of sword?" Rangiku said, shaking her head as the rest of the contestants watched Orihime's photo shoot. "Now that's a loss."

  Beside her Yoruichi was looking to the grassy ridge sporadically lined with trees in the distance. "Are those people?"

  Nemu, Nanao, and the other contestants, fully armored, looked to the ridge. Nemu nodded.

  "Yes," she said, focusing on the small figures half a mile away.

  Rangiku looked to her. "Can you tell who they are?"

  Nemu nodded. "Kenji Yamashita, Mitsuru Ishino, Taichi Miyamoto, a few others Captain Kurostuchi considers dispensable, and," she giggled slightly, "Vice-Captains Kira, Hisagi, and Iba," she squinted, "and Ichigo Kurosaki and Captain Kyouraku."

  Nanao's eyes got wider as she looked to the ridge. "Are you sure?"

  "I'm quite sure," Nemu said, smiling just a bit.

  Yumichika stepped back into the shadows of the sycamore tree. "How well can they see us?"

  Rangiku looked him over from head to heel. "They can't tell who any of us are from that distance," she assured. "They probably think we're planning an attack."

  "Do you want to know who's on the other ridge?" Nemu asked, looking to the opposite, more heavily-treed slope across the valley.

  The other four contestants looked to the second ridge.

  "There are people there, too?" Yoruichi asked, trying to focus on the tiny row of black points on the ridge.

  "Nemu, you're up next!" Ray called, waving her over. An exhausted Orihime dragged herself back to wardrobe.

  Nemu clutched her sword and walked briskly to where Ray and the crew waited.

  Rangiku frowned after the artificial woman. "She could've told us first."

  Yoruichi nodded. "I'll bet it's Captain Hitsugaya. About time his little hormones kicked in."

  "Leave his hormones out of it," Rangiku said, bristling. "He's doing just fine."

  Yoruichi grinned, looking to where Yumichika was still sheltered in the tree shade. "Or Ikkaku, or Captain Zaraki."

  "Or Captain Soi Fon," Nanao added.

  Yoruichi nodded. "Maybe."

  After the afternoon of extremely successful photo shoots the contestants headed back to the Shiba house for a swim, a nap, and an early dinner before heading back to judging.

  The judges table was set up in a temporary building erected by The Next Top Model crew, complete with runway, display screen, swags partitioning the backstage holding areas from the onscreen set, and every amenity Tara Hills and her entourage thought she needed for her shooting of the show.

  Miss Ray sat behind the judges table as the props girl polished the six remaining points on his tiara, dressed in his finest 1920s emerald green flapper dress, feeling a little over-dressed as they waited.

  He and Uryuu, Tara, and Virgil sat in the shadow thrown by the guest judge.

  A pointy-haired shadow, whose spiky-hairdo put Miss Ray's tiara to shame. For several long moments no one had spoken, including Uryuu, who'd been exposed to the guest judge before, under different circumstances.

  Finally Miss Ray mustered up his nerve, threw his feathery teal boa over his shoulder, and leaned over the table to see Kenpachi Zaraki better.

  "I see the bells, but I don't hear no ringin'," he said with a drawl. "Just for show?"

  Zaraki turned his good eye on the flamboyant judge. "Nothing around here to make them ring," he said, then looked to Virgil. "Is he the fruitcake one?"

  Virgil grinned. "Uh, well, you could say that."

  Zaraki sent a belittling glare down the table to where Miss Ray was trying to win him over with an ingratiating smile. It failed. Zaraki growled. "Yeah, I've got a fruitcake in my unit, too. Good man, good fighter, but a real pretty-boy."

  Tara sat in her usual seat as the lighting man did his final check. She looked between the judges for a moment, stuffed into her plus-size fuchsia kimono tied with a bright yellow sash, her beaded earrings dangling to her shoulders. "Oh, do you? I see. You're with the military here, so I can assume you're beholding to the don't-ask-don't-tell policy, too?"

  Zaraki frowned at her, grunting. "He's a fake fruitcake. Nothing like all this," he said, gesturing a large finger at Miss Ray's flapper garb.

  The cameraman did a countdown, and Tara bounded to her feet, scuttling around the table to the red carpet runway as the contestants came through the makeshift swag-draped doorway. They lined up at the end of the runway carpet, each in khaki cargo shorts and lavender t-shirts with the black words Museum Replicas Master across the front.

  Yumichika took one look at the guest judge, grew a paler shade of pale, and froze.

  Tara smiled at them, smoothing down her kimono, waving and snapping her fingers. "Hello, ladies!"

  "Hello, Tara," they returned.

  "Today, you handled real swords. How was that?"

  A chorus of agreeableness came from the contestants as Zaraki's attention went from each to the next in line.

  "Before we get started, let me tell you about the prizes," Tara said, oblivious to the guest judge's study. "First is a contract with Up Front Agency, a very well-known Japanese agency favored for producing some of the best idols in Asia..."

  Yumichika stepped closer to Rangiku. "I've always admired your hair," he said barely audibly, eyes on his captain. "I meant to tell you that
several times."

  Rangiku frowned as Tara continued her recitation. "What are you talking about?" she whispered back.

  Zaraki narrowed his focus on a certain contestant.

  Yumichika felt the blood drain from his face, his brain growing cold. He swallowed the lump in his throat as Zaraki's eyes bore into his. "Tell Ikkaku I'll take his secret to my grave."

  Rangiku saw the reason for his alarm, saw Zaraki's fingers push dents into the judges table, eyes on the male contestant.

  "... last but not least, our guest judge, Captain Zaraki," Tara was saying, gesturing glibly to the enormous man sitting beside Virgil at the judges table. "Let's get started!"

  She hurried around the table and took her seat between Virgil and Uryuu, smiling at the contestants, most of who were looking at Zaraki.

  Who was looking at Yumichika.

  "First up, Nanao," Tara said, smiling at said woman as she did her striking walk down the runway.

  This turned Zaraki's head. He watched the diminutive woman stop before the judges table.

  "Today you were all sword-wielders," Tara said, nodding, "and Ray Migel said it was one of the most productive photo shoots he's every directed. He said all you girls were unbelievably good."

  Zaraki looked to Tara at her use of the term girls, and then settled his gaze on his fifth seated.

  "Let's see your best shot," Tara said.

  On the screen blinked Nanao's photo with her in full samurai armor, the katana in both her hands, striking a fierce pose as she yelled.

  "Oh, I like this one," Miss Ray said, nodding. "Lots of energy from such a small girl, and look at the eyes. Even with the glasses, they just reach out and choke you."

  Virgil nodded, and after a moment, Zaraki did too, glancing briefly at the screen.

  "Thank you, Nanao," Tara said with a smile. "You can go back now. Next is Orihime!"

  Orihime did a bouncy walk down the runway, distracting Zaraki from Yumichika for a fleeting moment.

  "You won the kimono challenge yesterday and got to choose your katana today," Tara said. "How'd that go for you?"

  Behind her Yumichika was preparing for fight or flight, summoning the adrenalin rush he was going to need as his captain's attention drifted between Orihime's samurai photo on the screen and the line of contestants.

  " ...Next up, Yumichika," Tara said in a carefree tone, unaware of the dread that washed over him as she did.

  Yumichika didn't recall taking the few steps down the runway, or stopping halfway down it.

  Zaraki stood up, glaring at the contestant. "You dandified peacock!"

  Yumichika's mouth went dry as he looked from his captain to Tara. "I ... I officially quit, Miss Hills," he told Tara, and then turned heel and shunpo'd out the doorway.

  "Come back here, fancy pants!" Zaraki bellowed, zipping down the runway and past the other contestants so fast that no one saw him move. "Get back here, Ayasegawa!"

  The captain and Division Eleven member disappeared out the doorway, Zaraki's great roaring following them out.

  Tara looked to the doorway, blinking in disbelief, and then to Virgil and Miss Ray. "Did he just quit?"

  "He? She? I'd have to say yes," Miss Ray said. "He was doing so well, too. Some just can't take the heat."

  "He's been a little rocky for the last few weeks," Virgil said, trying to hide a grin.

  Uryuu rolled his eyes, flinching as Zaraki's threats echoed back to the room.

  Tara looked at the doorway for a moment longer, then to the other contestants. "Did ya'll hear what I heard?"

  "That Yumichika quit?" Yoruichi asked.

  Tara nodded.

  The five contestants nodded.

  "You don't think he'll be back?" she asked.

  The contestants shook their heads.

  Tara looked to her fellow judges. "We've been here before."

  Miss Ray nodded. "Rukia."

  Tara nodded.

  "You said all the photos were strong," Virgil said, leaning closer to Tara. "If you make another cut now, with Yumichika already out, you'll have a short season," he said sotto voce. "Let's look at the photos and judge from those."

  "With no closed session?" Uryuu asked, pushing his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose, looking uncomfortably at the photo of Yumichika on the top of the stack before Tara.

  Virgil nodded.

  Tara considered this, looking back at the contestants who watched them anxiously. "Let's do it," she decided. She stood up and addressed the five remaining women. "Ya'll come on down here, and put some sass in those struts!"

  With a giggle Nanao, Nemu, Orihime, Yoruichi, and Rangiku did their own versions of runway walks to the judges table, each shifting a hip at the end.

  "Very nice, very nice," Miss Ray said, smiling at them all. "Looking good."

  "We've seen Nanao and Orihime's best shots," Tara said, raising an eyebrow at them. "Now we're going to mix it up, and look at the rest of you and make our decision from there."

  The contestants looked at each other uneasily.

  Tara smiled. "Rangiku, let's see your best shot."

  On the screen flicked Rangiku's shot, her katana raised overhead in strike mode, lunging for the camera.

  "Very good, I like it," Virgil said, nodding. "Not surprised, recalling how you handled yourself in the Vallejo photo shoot."

  Rangiku smiled.

  "Good," Tara said, her left eye twitching slightly. "Okay, next we have Nemu."

  Nemu tilted her head to one side, blinking as a photo of her wielding the sword flashed onto the screen.

  Uryuu nodded. "She's a bit stiff, but lethal. She knows her stuff. Most of them do." His smile went to Orihime. She smiled back.

  "Could still use a little more vitality in the eyes," Virgil said, frowning. "Still a little blank for me in the eyes."

  Nemu nodded.

  "He's right," Tara said, looking to Yoruichi. "Next up is Yoruichi's photo."

  A photo of Yoruichi in samurai battle gear popped onto the screen, the sword half raised, her looking daring the camera to come closer.

  Virgil nodded. "Very good pose, almost as if she's readying to pounce. An unusual photo, but I like it."

  Uryuu looked to Yoruichi, who smiled at the judges.

  Miss Ray nodded at the photo on the screen. "You're right. Like she's getting ready to launch, but the sword is still dominant in the frame. Excellent product placement."

  Tara nodded, looking from the screen to the contestants. "These are all some quality work, ladies, and any photographer - or client - would be happy to have this selection." She looked to the judges at the table beside her. "Are we in agreement, gentlemen?"

  The other judges nodded.

  Tara stood up and took a long moment looking to each of the contestants. "Nanao, you were the slightest, physically, in the photos, but you were able to pull off deadly in your photo. Orihime, you were the least comfortable in your photo," she said to the Living girl, "but you still gave us the heart of a samurai."

  Orihime smiled, bowing.

  Tara looked to Nemu. "We keep looking for more life in your eyes, Nemu, but you're not quite giving it to us." She looked to Rangiku and then Yoruichi. "Both of you had strong photos, both able to give us fatal. One of you was better - not much - but enough."

  Tara looked to each for a moment, and then looked to Yoruichi. "Your photo was strongest this week, Yoruichi. Congratulations!"

  Yoruichi smiled and gave a whoop.

  Tara glanced back to the rest of them. "And for such strong shows in the photo shoot, you're all moving on in the competition for The Next Top Model."

  A collective squeal went up from the remaining contestants as they embraced each other in a group hug.

  And then there were five.