Hey guys! So, this is a sequel to my story 'The Espada's Guest'. All though, it'll make more sense if you've read the previous fanfic mentioned, you'll probably be able to piece this story together if you don't. Or maybe you won't. Anyway, I'm YuYuInuWolf, and I do not own Bleach.
The golden eyed girl crawled through the bushes on all fours. Her hair was snow white, except for the last few inches that was strawberry red. The girl's skin was the same color as a light peach. A playful growl reverberated in her throat as she caught site of a boy running behind a tree. She emerged from the bush quietly and stood on two feet. She crept over to the tree, surprisingly stealthily for a girl who looked only 13, and stopped. She inhaled silently, taking in some kind of scent, then smiled maliciously. Suddenly, she sprang to the other side of the tree and leaped on the boy who had taken cover there.
"Rawr!" The girl laughed as she pinned the boy down on the forest floor. He struggled as he tried to free himself from her grip. "Oh come on Tsukiyo, I gotcha, I win."
"Don't count on it Hokori!" The silver haired boy protested. He kicked his knees up, sending the girl known as Hokori, flipping over his head and landing on her back. He got to his feet instantly, only to have the girl grab his ankle and pull him back down. The two started wrestling with each other. As they worked on trying to put the other in a submissive position, a small group of kids made their way through bushes onto the scene of Tsukiyo and Hokori rough housing.
"Told you they'd be fighting. Now pay up!" A girl with navy blue hair and translucent blue eyes demanded as she turned back to the group. The other two kids grumbled and handed her some money. The five kids were all dressed in soul reaper academy uniforms.
"Leave it to Kori and Tsuki to start fighting." A boy with big brown eyes and blond hair chuckled. Tsukiyo, who almost had Hokori down, stopped and stood up immediatly.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times! Call me Hitsugaya or Tsukiyo! Not Tsuki!" He demanded as his grey-teal eyes flared.
"My mom says your dad only likes to be called Hitsugaya, too." The girl that demanded money from the others pointed out with a smile on her face. The girl behind her, with braided purple hair and indigo eyes, chuckled.
"Oh really, Akemi? Well whenever your mom is supposed to do paperwork, she sneaks out and goes drinking with Captain Kyoraku!" Tsukiyo yelled at the navy haired girl.
"Uh, Izuke." The purple haired girl whispered to the blond boy. "Do you think this is going to be another fight?"
"I don't know, Haruko." The boy deemed Izuke whispered back. They recieved their answer when Akemi started yelling back.
"Hey! Sorry that my mother's not a workaholic!"
"She doesn't even have to be a workaholic! She just has to try!" Tsukiyo yelled back, leaning forward and barking in Akemi's face. Akemi only leaned forward to make her voice assualt Tsukiyo's face.
Hokori looked back and forth between the two nervously and dragged a hand through her white and red hair. She tried to think of some clever plan to get them to stop fighting, but nothing was showing up in her brain, so she resulted to something simple and usually ineffective. She stepped between them and started rambling, without realizing she was only making things worse. "Aww come on guys! Let's leave our parents out of this! I mean Tsukiyo's mom is leader of a bunch of assasigns, and Akemi's dad has '69' tattoed on his face, but we don't need to make fun of them."
"Excuse me!" Both Tsukiyo and Akemi yelled at once. Hokori went pale, realizing that she had only made things worse as the other two yelled at her in unison "Well at least my dad isn't some orange haired goofball named after a strawberry!"
"Well this is going to be bad." Haruko pointed out quietly so only Izuke heard.
"I concur." The blond haired boy agreed.
Horoki then growled at both Akemi and Tsukiyo "Hey! Leave my strawberry of a goofball father out of this! All I meant is that we shouldn't insult our parents because we have an issue with each other!"
Akemi and Tsukiyo then glared at each other. Tsukiyo then said "I coudn't agree with Hokori more."
The menacing air around Hokori dropped, for she was now dumbfounded at Tsukiyo's sudden change to her side. "Really?"
Akemi then continued "Same here. Kori is right. If we have a problem, we should take it out on each other, not the other's parents."
"No that's not what I meant!" Hokori protested, but neither of the feuding friends really acknowledged what she said. "I meant we shouldn't fi-" but she was cut off as Akemi and Tsukiyo tackled each other at the same time, and started wrestling on the ground. "Are you kidding me!" Hokori growled as, she too, joined in on the battle, trying to break it up.
"Do you notice neither of us ever part take in these things?" Izuke asked.
"My father says it wouldn't be noble for a young lady Kuchiki such as myself to engage in combat unless life threatening." Haruko pretty much recited her father's, Byakuya's, words.
"My dad told me Mom would be heartbroken if I got into a physical fight with my friends and someone got hurt. Even though Tsukiyo's dad and my mom used to rough house as kids." Izuke shared his reason.
The two just watched calmly as the ball of three literally rolled around in the dirt, kicking up dust and only making more noise as they all tried to yell over each other. Haruko gasped in surprise as she heard a few swears exit the mouth of one of her friends, Akemi most likely. Tsukiyo was yelling about how Akemi always disrespects him by calling him stupid nicknames like 'Tsuki' and 'Yo-Yo'. Hokori was yelling at them both about how they should stop fighting like this and just drop it, then she would growl and bite one of them. And then whoever she bit, would yell and attempt to retaliate, only to end up hitting the other of the three, which caused them to retaliate, which caused Hokori to yell and bite more, which only created an endless circle of chaos.
Suddenly, a figure appeared and the fighting three rolled right into the figure's legs, causing the ball to break apart and leave the three sitting at the feet of Nemu Kurotsuchi. All three of them silenced as they looked up at the women who stood over them.
"Hi Mom." Haruko greeted, stepping over her friends as she made her way to her mother.
"Hello dear. Your father says he wants you home now so you can get ready for the graduation ceremony tonight. Rukia is there already also." Nemu said monotonously.
"Auntie Rukia!" Haruko repeated her aunts name excitedly. She then turned to her friends and waved. "Goodbye gu-" She stopped, she was to refrain from using impolite words, such as 'guys' when talking to ladies. " friends! I'll see you at the ceremony tonight."
Nemu then took her daughter's hand, nodded in farewell to the children, and started off with Haruko besides her. Once they were out of ear shot, Akemi spoke.
"It must stink, having to talk like a noble all the time." She pouted in pity for her friend Haruko.
"It's simple mannerism. Not much you'd know about." Tsukiyo snorted. Before another fight could start, Hokori started speaking.
"So are you guys planning to do anything special once you become soul reapers?"
"I'm going to train hard!" Izuke said, catching on to Hokori's plan. "I can't wait to be able to communicate with my Zanpakuto and build both of our powers." All four young teens looked towards the swords they carried with them everywhere, in admiration and wonderment.
"I wonder what our shikai will look like." Akemi thought allowed, causing Tsukiyo to snort.
"Shikai? Is that all you're aiming for? I can't wait to see my bankai." Tsukiyo announced proudly.
"Well what if you can't reach bankai? Then what?" Akemi asked as she raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"Tch. I'm the son of two captains. Toushirou Hitsugaya and SoiFon, who both have bankais. I will not let them down! I shall have my very own bankai for sure!"
"How 'bout we all make a pact?" Hokori asked suddenly.
"A pact about what?" Izuke asked, causing Hokori to smile.
"A pact that we will all achieve bankai levels! And we'll tell Haruko about it later so she can be apart of it too!" Hokori put her hand in the center of them and looked around expectedly.
"I'm in!" Tsukiyo agreed automatically and put his hand on top of Hokori's.
"Totally! You're brilliant Kori!" Akemi put her hand on top of Tsukiyo's.
"Sounds cool to me!" Izuke said as he added his hand to the pile.
"'Bankai' on three. 1. 2. 3."
"Bankai!" The four shouted in excited harmony.
"Hey, what are you kids up to?" A kind voice asked. The four kids looked up to see Izuru Kira smiling at him.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Izuke asked, surprised.
"Well, your mother says we need to get you ready." Izuru answered as he ruffled his son's hair. Izuke made a face and mumbled;
"Dad, you're embarresing me." This caused his father to take his hand away and apologize, while Hokori, Tsukiyo, and Akemi chuckled.
"Wait 'till you're dressed in one of those monkey suits." A familier voice laughed. The children and Izuru look towards the tree where the voice originated from. The familier figure of Shuhei Hisagi dropped from the tree and waved. "Hello."
"Daddy!" Akemi exclaimed as he picked her up and hugged her. Comparing the two together, Hokori could notice the clear relation between father and daughter, it was mainly between their hair and eyes, but there was some other thing Hokori couldn't put her finger on, some kind of essence. Otherwise, Akemi was the spitting image of her mother, Rangiku Matsumoto.
"So Izuru, how's Momo?" Shuhei asked politely.
"She's well. Rangiku?"
"Well as well." The navy haired man chuckled at his corny joke.
"Well, sorry to take Izuke from you guys, but we must go." Izuru announced as he looked at his son. Izuke sighed in dissapointment before waving to his friends, and disappearing with his father.
"Same here guys." Shuhei lifted Akemi up so she was seated on his shoulder, despite her size he could carry her easily.
"Bye Kori! Bye Tsukiyo!" She waved as her father used shunpo to leave, leaving just Hokori and Tsukiyo. The two white haired teens looked at the directions there friends had left, both knowing neither of their parents were availible to come and retrieve their children.
Tsukiyo kicked his leg back and forth awkwardly as he asked "So I guess we can walk home together."
Hokori chuckled like a schoolgirl as she replied "Well that would be the gentlman's offer."
Tsukiyo rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help the small grin that grew on his face as he and Hokori started walking. They could use shunpo, but they decided not to, neither of them were in a particular rush to go get all dressed and dolled just for their soul reaper initiation. It was a peacful silence as Hokori practically skipped along Tsukiyo on the dirt road. Suddenly, both teens were knocked straight off the path by some big creature. Tsukiyo rolled and landed on his feet, while Hokori did a back hand spring to land on her own. They both looked up in horror.
"That can't be!" Hokori exclaimed in horror.
"A hollow!" Tsukiyo yelled in shock. "But how?"
Hokori looked up at the blue sky, and shouted "Tsukiyo! In the sky!" The white haired boy looked up and saw a large black gash across the sky, it was closing slowly. Before either could say anything, a large, bone like, hand came crashing down inbetween them.
"Kori! Go get help and I'll hold it off!" Tsukiyo demanded and he drew his zanpakuto from the sheath on his back. Hokori nodded and took off down the road, only to stop when she heard a loud crash and saw that Tsukiyo just barely avoided a direct tail lash. She turned back around and appeared at his side. "Kori!"
"If either of us leave the other will be killed." Kori said as she drew the sword she kept on her waist. She pulled the sword out smoothly, the hilt was wrapped in indigo bandages, the guard was a deep purple, and the blade was a pale silver. Hokori looked over at Tsukiyo's beautiful sword. The guard was a golden star-like shape that had a black string that wound around the ice blue hilt. It was like a perfect mix between Hyorinmaru and Suzemaebachi.
"Yes, but if we both stay then we both may-" Tsukiyo was cut off as he jumped to avoid another spiked tail. Hokori now took in the full look of the hollow. It had two spiked tails, two jaws on it's massive head, and the body of a T-Rex with elongated arms.
"Shut up and fight!" Hokori demanded as she held out her palm. "Hado number 31! Shakkaho!" A ball of red energy was fired at the monster, but it dissolved when it touched the creature's skin.
"Small spells like that won't work!" Tsukiyo told her. "Hado number 90! Kurohitsugi!" A black box of energy formed around the monster, and trapped it inside as several large spears pierced the box. But, the black energy only disappeared and the hollow was still there, not a scratch on him. "What the hell?"
"Foolish soul reapers! I can not be slayed so easily!" The hollow laughed, and with a swing of it's tail, hit Tsukiyo and Hokori and the same time, sending them flying. The two teens tumbled down the path more, towards the Sereitei.
"We're idiots! If it broke in through the sereitei, kido must be ineffective!" Horoki observed.
"Then it seems we will just have to rip him to shreds!" Tsukiyo answered the unasked question of 'How do we beat him?'. The boy was clearly angered, and when angered, Tsukiyo was more dangerous than ever. His teal-grey eyes flared and he charged the hollow, but halfway to the hollow, he dropped to the ground. Hokori's eyes widened in fear. What just happened. The hollow laughed as it picked up the fragile body of Hokori's friend.
"Well, it seems I'll have a snack before I destroy the rest of you." It held Tsukiyo over it's second pair of jaws, which were open wide. Hokori couldn't think, fear trapped her in a web of panic and inability to think clearly. Wanting desperately not to let her friend die, she did the thing that seemed like her only choice. She threw her sword right at the hollow. She didn't charge the hollow, or throw the zanpakuto straight at it, she whipped it so it spun wildly. And to the girl's lack of luck, let the hilt of her weapon bounce off the hollow mask and fly off somewhere into the forest. "AHAHAHA! FOOLISH SOUL REAPER! NOW YOU'RE COMPLETLY HELPLESS!"
The girl's eyes expanded when she realized her mistake. Now more than just scared. She was scared and angry. She was scared, angry, and felt insulted. And, this only ended up adding to more stupidity, and desperate attempts to save her friend. She started pounding on the hollows foot, screaming at the top of her lungs. The hollow only laughed and kicked her, sending her flying back into a tree. But, even after the blow, adrenaline activated and helped the white and strawberry haired girl get up and continue beating up, or attempting to beat up, her attackers foot. Then she started screaming again. This seemed to wake up Tsukiyo a bit, he was incoherrant, but his eyes were open and he looked around. It seemed to take a minute for him to register what had just happened.
"Please! Let him go! You can eat me instead! I swear! Just, please! Let him go!" Without replying to the girl's pleas the hollow picked her up and looked her over. Several cuts on her face allowed scarlet blood to drip and make intricate patterns on her face. She gritted her teeth and her eyes looked absolutely farrel. And, just above a whisper, she bargained "Take me instead."
"Tsukiyo! Hokori!" Familier voices yelled. Both teens, Tsukiyo who was now completely conscious again, looked to see five grown soul reapers running towards them and the hollow. Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya, Captain SoiFon, Captain Grimmjow Jaegerjaques [1], Substitute Ichigo Kurosaki, and Lieutenet Katsue Jun [2].
"Don't take another step or they'll both be swallowed!" The hollow bellowed, causing all four soul reapers to stop and place hands on their zanpakuto. "And if you draw those zanpakuto I'll kill them both!"
"Bastard!" SoiFon yelled as she stared at her son in the hands of the demon. Katsue looked at the girl in the hands of the hollow. She looked at the white haired girl with the strawberry tips. She looked at the golden eyed girl. She looked at her daughter.
"Kori." Katsue whispered in an angered worry. She looked towards Ichigo, who was staring at Hokori with the same worry as she, and he was looking at the hollow with the same intent of murder.
"Hollow. I suggest you put the kids down." Hitsugaya 'suggested' in a threatening tone.
"And why would I do that?" The hollow asked, amused.
"Otherwise, we will have backup on the way and you'll have no chance of survival. Put them down now, and perhaps we will let you go back to Hueco Mundo." The tenth division captain said. Under normal circumstances, he would threaten the hollow to no ends, but he was hesitant, seeing his own son in the hands of the beast.
"I'm terrified." It sneered sarcastically.
"Hey! You worthless piece of trash! I demand that you put those kids down now! Otherwise you'll be in a hell of a lotta' pain!" Grimmjow roared. He had looked to Katsue as a sister for over ten years now, and seeing her daughter in the hands of danger pissed him off to a whole new level. This caused the hollow to laugh.
"You're in no position to order me around." The hollow reminded him. Grimmjow snarled, but before he could say anything, Hokori spoke.
"One of you! Just use your zanpakuto!" Hokori demanded. Before being questioned, she turned to the hollow and said "Eat me first."
"Why such a ridiculous request?"
"Because, I figure they'll have just enough time to save my friend."
This caused Tsukiyo to speak "What? NO! I will not let you die! I-" But he was cut off by a glare from Hokori. It was a glare that said 'I know what I'm doing'. He was reluctant, but Tsukiyo shut his mouth and decided that Hokori probably had a good plan, unbeknownst to him about her previous attacks of throwing her sword at the hollow and trying to punch it.
"Are you nuts?" Grimmjow yelled up to Hokori. The girl, in return, gave him the same glare that she had given Tsukiyo. Grimmjow, realizing she did have something up her sleeve, leaned over to Katsue and whispered "She has a plan."
"Yes. But what is it?" Katsue asked stubbornly, she wasn't really open for risking her daughter's and dear friend's son's lives.
"I think we should trust her." SoiFon interjected.
"Yes. Tsukiyo would have started a verbal fight with her if he believed that her idea would get her killed." Toushirou added. Ichigo looked towards his daughter, and to Katsue. The resemblence between them wasn't much, physically. But when it came to mentally and personality, they were almost exactly alike.
"Katsue, we have to do as she says." Ichigo announced.
"But-" The dark haired girl started to protest. Her silver and white doe eyes never leaving her daughter.
"Trust her." Ichigo said simply, before continuing to speak to the hollow. In a very threatening voice, he said "That's it! I'm drawing my Zanpakuto!"
"Fool!" The hollow bellowed and it put Hokori in front of it's jaw. Before it could drop her in, she shouted;
"Hado 33! Sokatsui!" The girl freed her arm and sent an outrageous amount of blue spirit energy down the creatures throat. Abruptly, the hollow burst, sending Tsukiyo and Hokori flying. Hokori hit the ground, bounced off of it, and hit it again. Blackness crept over her eyes and her senses faded away, slowly, everything disappeared.
[1] Read 'The Espada's Guest' and you'll understand.
[2] My OC from the story this is based off.
So what did ya' think? Any questions? Leave a review or PM me. The next chapter should clear up a couple things if your confused. Well, I know my friends didn't react well to the pairing of Katsue and Ichigo, I'm sorry if you don't like them together, I try to make it vague, but I need them together for the future plot. Please review!
