Disclaimer: Do not own Bleach or any related content or characters. Mitsuki Hadara is mine.
Note: This is my own version of what happened in the Bleach universe. I apologize for any inaccuracies and am welcome to corrections, but keep in mind this is my story. Thanks all, ENJOY!
Tired. That was all Chad ever felt anymore. Tired, sore, drowning. The war had left its mark on him, body and soul. Where once he was a shadow, often passing without much notice, now he was invisible. So withdrawn from the world around him.
People noticed the change in the four the moment they returned to school. Ichigo, who's expression usually warded off anyone wanting to bother him, was now blank, impassive, silent. His eyes were equally blank, seeing everything and nothing all at once. He barely spoke.
Orihime's bubbly ditsy personality was gone. She was quiet, controlled, soft spoken, yet hardened somehow. She looked sad more often than not. She was fiercely protective of her boys as well, giving anyone hell if they started harassing them.
Uryu somehow managed a facade of normalcy, to a degree. He was certainly more jumpy than he had been, flinching at sudden sounds. He had lost all drive, and more often than not sat in a daze throughout his classes.
And Chad. Always at the back of the class, quiet, calm. Now he drifted about, silent, a wall put up between him and everyone else. Always looking tired. His eyes showing he had seen too much.
At lunch, they sat together, barely ever speaking beyond simple greetings and one word responses. More often than not they would pick at their food and not eat much of it. The teachers noticed, called Uryu and Ichigo's parents, questioning what was going on. Issin said Ichigo's uncle had passed. Ryuken said Uryu had gotten a rare illness and was still recovering. No one could speak for Chad and Orihime.
Hollows would always be around, of course. Regardless of the war they would always exist.
On that particular day, Chad was walking home from school. Orihime often walked with him, since they lived in the same general direction. She was a comfort to him, just her presence. Being around Ichigo often made Chad feel worse. He wondered if somehow things could have been different, and that his friend would not be a shell of who he once was.
As they walked, they both felt it at the same time. A Hollow was nearby. A new one, nothing they couldn't handle. Chad glanced at Orihime and winced at the expression on her face. She looked about ready to cry.
"Go home, Orihime. I'll take care of it." Chad said quietly.
"No, it's ok. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." She said quickly, and flashed him a rare smile.
He nodded, and sighed as they took off running. Chad wasn't surprised to see Ichigo and Uryu already near where the Hollow was. Ichigo was expressionless, and Uryu looked irritated.
"This is not what I planned on dealing with today." Uryu growled.
Chad looked below where they were standing, into the ravine. The Hollow was slowly making its way along the side of the reserve stream, slow and meandering.
"Let's get this over with." Ichigo said blankly.
The four jumped down into the ravine simultaneously, surrounding the Hollow. It stopped short, then slowly looked at each of them.
"Well isn't it my lucky day. Four high energy morsels to fill me up and-" It hadn't even finished when Ichigo slammed Zangetsu down through the mask.
The Hollow let out a shriek that physically sickened each member as it shattered and disappeared. They all glanced at one another, then moved to leave.
"Hey!" A sharp voice yelled from above.
All four stopped as a Soul Reaper dropped down into the place the Hollow had been.
She appeared to be their age, with black hair coiled tightly against the back of her head, held by two pins with a ruby on the end of each, and eerie gold colored eyes. She was tan, like she spent most of her days out in the sun, and Chad noticed her knuckles on both hands were scabbed over. The insignia on her sleeve was from the 11th division, but they had never seen her before. She waved her zanpakuto, a long black katana with bright red ribbon around the handle, at them angrily.
"What the hell are you guys doing? Don't you know how to take a vacation?" She snapped.
Uryu raised an eyebrow, glancing at the others. Ichigo looked slightly irritated at the sword being waved in his face. Orihime looked confused, and Chad remained blank.
"Did no one tell you?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.
When no one responded, she let out a frustrated groan and sheathed her sword.
"Under strict orders, I hereby take over your duties here in Karakura for the foreseeable future. Apparently the higher ups are giving you a lifetime vacation for your services. In other words, leave the Hollows to me." She said, sounding bored with the speech she had given.
"And who are you, exactly?" Orihime asked.
The girl glanced at her and rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, all you people and your formalities. I am Mitsuki Hadara, 11th division, seventh seat. At your service." She gave an exaggerated bow.
She looked at each of them in turn, and then let out another exasperated groan.
"Go. Home. Come on guys, get! I'll get my ass kicked if Captain Zaraki finds out I let you kill a Hollow. Go!" She yelled at them.
The others glanced to Ichigo, their leader, waiting for his response. His eyes came to life, only to glare at her.
"Seventh seat? How did that happen? I don't think any of us recognize you, and we definitely know most of the Soul Reapers at this point." He said, a hint of a challenge coming to his voice.
Mitsuki turned her attention to him, and suddenly her eyes sharpened, intensified somehow.
"In the mess that was the war, whoever was 7th died, and since everyone else is all screwy with their positions, I went from 9th seat to 7th. Blah blah blah." She said, but the childish teasing that was present in her voice before was now missing.
"Now, if you're done interrogating me, I have work to do. I don't expect to meet you again under present circumstances that you are on vacation. Goodbye." She stated simply, and then in a single flash step was at the top of the ravine and gone.
"What the hell..." Ichigo growled.
"Do you think it's the truth?" Chad spoke up.
"I don't know... guess we'll find out."
And with that, the group headed to their homes.
That night, Chad dreamt of things other than the war, of the Hollows. He dreamt of black hair and burning eyes.
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