Bleach Fic, Chapter 1
Author's note: This is a story from the view point of an original character of my creation. It is an alternative to the anime's Bount arc and, although it will sometimes mirror that storyline, expect some key differences. Some characters are missing, for instance. There's still the possibility of a few spoilers, however.
I want to thank the geniuses behind the Zanpakuto generator found through a Google Search. I keep trying to link to it but the document loader doesn't like it! Sorry, about that.
This is my first anime fanfic and I had a lot of fun writing it. I hope you have fun reading it. Thanks!
Night was falling on Karakura Town, in Western Tokyo. Most of the shops had closed their doors for the evening and anyone left behind were inevitably involved in the boring, but necessary, tasks of money counting, floor sweeping, and shelf restocking. The streets were quiet, with everyone tucked away inside whilst the stars slowly began to peep out from behind sparse clouds.
The local high-school loomed large, and vacant. The students who filled it with life and vibrancy during the day had long since walked home in groups, chatting, laughing, sharing the day before settling down to their evening pursuits, which tended towards homework, eating their parents out of house and home, manga reading, and video games.
Well, these are a good summary for most of their pursuits. A few of the local high school students had more specialist interests. . . .
Orihime Inoue paused to catch her breath, hands resting lightly on her knees, whilst her long, auburn hair brushed against her cheeks and shrouded her face in darkness.
"Is it near by, or have we lost it?" She asked of her tall, male companion. He shook his head, eyes obscured by the shadow of his wide-brimmed hat.
"It is here. I can sense it."
Orihime raised her head, determination in every line of her pretty, youthful face. The expression seemed oddly out of place as if she were more used to smiling than frowning. Her grey eyes were steely now, however, and she started to run once more, confident that her companion would follow. So focused was she on her target that she didn't feel the sudden increase in spiritual pressure, and was therefore unprepared for the emergence of a large, powerful hollow in front of her.
As it loomed before her, it's body black and twisted, consisting of multiple reptilian like limbs, and a large skeletal face filled with thick, long fangs, Orihime wheeled backwards, calling out in shock, and falling against her companion, who tried to pull her away and behind him protectively.
"A hollow!" She cried, hands already reaching for the pair of flower pins that she wore in her brightly coloured hair, already gathering her power, preparing the words that would bring forth her unique spiritual attack. The hollow, however, was already swinging one huge arm forwards, mouth open wide in a scream that shook the two lonely figures lit only by a nearby streetlamp.
There was a tense, stomach-curdling moment when the two companions waited in mute terror for their fate to come crashing down on them, and then nothing but a silken silence, proceeded by a roar of frustration from the hollow before them.
Orihime looked up, shock making her eyes wide. A mere three feet before her stood a tall woman clothed in a vibrant red kimono, her sword the only thing preventing the hollow from crushing them all.
"Who are. ." Orihime began but the woman was already slashing at her opponent, leaping unnaturally high, and bringing her long sword down in a wide arc that left streams of spirit energy in its wake. Making no sound, she slashed the hollow's mask with one stroke, destroying it, before jumping back to watch as it faded into the air, leaving nothing behind but the merest echo of an animal roar.
Her job done, the woman turned and faced Orihime.
"Are you unharmed?" Her voice was soft and clear with the merest trace of an accent as if she were not from Tokyo.
Orihime nodded, shock and gratitude in her voice. "Yes, thank you." She paused and then spoke rapidly, as if compelled by politeness to do so. "I'm Orihime. This is Claude."
The woman who, now that she moved closer, Orihime could see had a head of thick white hair that she'd pinned up severely, though a few locks had escaped and fell into her wide, violet eyes. She bowed slightly in lieu of a greeting and then paused, eyes on Claude. She took in his odd appearance; the half black, half yellow hair that fell to his shoulders, his unusual choice of dress (a multi-coloured suit, grey top-hat, and little brown boots that made her think of the circus), and his little round glasses, and frowned.
"You're,"she paused, looked as if she were concentrating, and then smiled. "You're a modified soul, aren't you?"
Claude was momentarily surprised but managed a smile and a polite bow. "At your service, Miss . .?" He let the question hang.
"You can call me Sakura," the lady returned his bow and then tensed suddenly, her head moving sharply to the right. Nothing met her gaze but dark, quiet streets.
"Something is wrong," she muttered almost to herself. Claude tensed himself and grabbed Orihime's arm.
"The Bount! It's here!"
The two took off running, though Orihime called over her shoulder another thank you before they disappeared down a nearby alley.
The unusual woman, Sakura, stared after them.
"Bount, eh?" She said to no one in particular before smiling an odd little smile and taking off in pursuit.
Ichigo Kurosaki glanced at the bird-shaped plush animal on his shoulder. "Are you sure one is nearby, Ririn? We've been searching for over an hour and still nothing."
The odd little toy huffed and crossed her wings, scowling viciously.
"Yes! One of them is here! My detector is never wrong."
Ichigo shrugged and took off at a run, which, in his Shinigami form, was considerably faster than most individuals could follow. A tall man kept pace with him, however, his bright pink-red hair standing out in stark contrast to the inky night sky; tattoos stark against the pale skin of his face.
"We spend most of our time chasing these damn things! Are they afraid to fight?" He raged, his voice harsh.
Ichigo didn't even glance at his companion. "They're up to something, that's for sure. You still cannot detect their spiritual pressure, Renji?"
The taller man shook his head, scowling.
Ririn suddenly gripped Ichigo's shoulder tightly and trilled with excitement. "Almost there! Just up ahead! Around the next corner! It's a Bount, I know it!"
The two Shinigami sprinted forwards, rounding the corner with considerable speed, and coming to a sharp stop as they took in the scene. A tall woman, clothed in a red kimono stood in a swath of streetlamp, staring up into the night sky, a look of concentration on her face.
"Who are. . ." Ichigo began when Orihime raced around the corner, and crashed into the back of him. The two high school students tumbled to the ground, matching orange heads colliding with an audible crack.
"Oh! My apologies, Kurosaki-chan!" Orihime exclaimed as she untangled herself from her classmate, a faint rosy blush on her cheeks.
Ichigo rubbed his sore head, his usual frown deepening at the pain. "Inoue, what are you doing here?"
She tugged Claude forward. "He detected a Bount and we set out to look for it. Is that. .." she looked at the woman beneath the streetlamp and gasped. "She's not a Bount!"
Renji glanced at the woman who still stood silently, her face upturned.
"She's right. I can clearly detect her spiritual pressure. It feels like," he paused, shook his head. "I don't know who she is."
"Is she a Shinigami?" Ichigo pulled himself to his feet, long body unfolding, resting his Zanpakutou across his shoulders in a familiar, easy gesture.
"No." Her voice rang out in the quiet street, and now Sakura did look at the small group. "I can assure you I am not a Soul Reaper." She spoke the word as if it was something to be reviled, riling Renji and causing him to move into an aggressive stance.
The woman watched him, raised an eyebrow, and promptly disappeared. Collectively, the group blinked in surprise and then a blur above them caught his eye and Ichigo grabbed Orihimi and flash stepped them across the street just as Sakura and another woman crashed down in a flurry of swords.
Sakura leapt backwards, sword held in a fighting stance, panting slightly. The woman before her laughed, her long green hair swaying behind her as she moved into an elaborate wushu stance. In her hands was her doll, a sword and fan held together by a long length of heavy chain.
"It's Yoshi!" Ririn squeaked. "The remaining female Bount!"
Ichigo scowled, gently removing Ririn from his shoulder and pushing her into Orihime's arms. "Stay back."
"But Kurosaki-chan," Orihime stuttered, one hand reaching for him. Claude touched her arm and she glanced at his sombre face before nodding and holding Ririn close.
Ichigo strode forwards, still in his relaxed stance, his impossibly large Zanpakutou slung almost effortlessly across his shoulders.
"Hey." He stared at Yoshi, her easy grin and smug expression making his anger smoulder.
Renji took up position next to him, one hand on his own Zanpakutou, a determined expression on his handsome, angular face.
Yoshi threw back her head and laughed. "Three against one? How fun! Fly, my Nieder!"
She lunged, her doll arcing out, the sword moving rapidly towards the three fighters. Ichigo moved fastest, rebounding the blow with a single swing of his sword, smiling grimly at the ease of it. He noticed a fraction too late that the fan end of the doll, lined with razor-sharp knives, was racing towards his exposed stomach. He tensed his body to move and then there was a clank of metal and a shower of sparks. Sakura's blade deflected the fan, the movement putting her between the men and Yoshi.
"You will not kill her." She spoke calmly over her shoulder, odd violet eyes on Ichigo's face, watching him carefully.
Ichigo jumped back, sword at the ready. "Are you crazy?! Do you know what she is? What she's done?"
Sakura's face was impassive, unfazed. "Of course. Why do you think I'm here?"
He scowled. "Are you working with them?"
She flicked her wrist, forcing Yoshi back with a sudden flurry of attacks.
"Come with me, Yoshi." Sakura commanded, eyes on the strange woman's face.
Yoshi howled with laughter. "And why would I do that?" She lunged with her sword. Sakura parried easily.
"I have things to ask you. In return, I might let you live."
Yoshi almost danced with mirth. "Oh, this is fun! You are funny, little girl. You think I'd go with you? We Bounts have plans, you know, and I think it is far more fun to follow Kariya-san than to follow you."
She tossed her green hair arrogantly over her shoulder and moved into an elaborate fighting stance before attacking with a speed that was breath-taking. Sakura responded with vigour, scowling when Ichigo and Renji both joined the fray.
"I can handle this!" She yelled above the clashing of their swords.
"Like hell you can!" Ichigo shouted angrily. "You want to take this woman alive, is that it? Well, news-flash, lady, it won't be that easy."
As if to make his point, the knife-lined fan whipped around missing Sakura's face by mere millimetres. She scowled and leapt back, giving Ichigo and Renji ample opportunity to surge forwards and attack Yoshi with renewed vigour.
Sakura paused, watching the fight as she slowed her ragged breathing. The female Bount seemed to revel in the battle, laughing, smiling, almost dancing as she worked with her doll to push the men back. She sort constantly for an opening and Sakura could see that, eventually, she'd find one. The wide swings Ichigo took with his Zanpakatou would eventually leave him vulnerable, if only his opponent timed it correctly, and the Bount had had many years in which to hone their fighting skills.
Damn, Sakura thought, this wasn't going at all as she'd planned. Maybe Yoshi was not the right Bount to capture. She'd assumed the female would be easier to manipulate but this certainly did not seem to be the case. Anyone who loved the fight this much would never allow themselves to be captured. It was all, or nothing. But she'd come so far, and she'd be damned if a little stubbornness stood in her way now, after everything she'd been through.
She slid her sword into its sheath and closed her eyes. She took a breath, held it, and concentrated. A glow began to surround her, as if emanating from her very being. She let it build, encouraged its flame, and soon it was roaring around her; the embodiment of her spirit energy. She flicked a wrist towards the fighters, and they sprung apart, finding themselves crashing into an invisible wall.
Ichigo and Renji turned and stared at Sakura.
"What the hell are you doing?" Renji raged, sword slashing at the wall of spirit energy, which did not waver.
"You are in my way, and I am getting tired of your childishness." She flash stepped over to Yoshi, glaring at Ichigo. "I told you that I would not let you kill her. Though, there seems to be little chance of that happening anytime soon." She muttered scornfully, turning her back on the men.
"Now," she spoke with measured calm, "I will say again, Yoshi; come with me, answer my questions, and I might let you live."
The female Bount gazed at Sakura, looking down into her pale, pretty face and seeming, for the first time, genuinely surprised. "Well, you are a strange one, I will give you that. But," she hissed, her doll gripped in both hands, "you are much more fun to play with. I will not go with you."
Sakura's violet eyes darkened and a look of genuine disappointment and, for just a second, weariness flashed across her features. "Yoshi, I. . ." she tensed suddenly and staggered back a step.
"Ahhh," Ichigo was suddenly beside her, a smug smile on his youthful face, "I knew that spirit barrier couldn't be impenetrable."
"You idiot!" Sakura turned to him, eyes blazing. There was a blur in the corner of her eye and she only just managed to dodge the attack Yoshi launched on her whilst her attention was diverted. Ichigo's sword rebounded the attack as he leapt forwards, protecting them both.
Sakura glared at his long, lean back. "Fine," she muttered, "let this be your fight", and then she was gone, her spiritual pressure fading within seconds and then becoming completely undetectable.
Renji stepped forwards, Zanpakatou at the ready. "Let's finish this."
As one, the two Shinigami attacked.
