Summary: "Yer not gonna waste your arrows tryin' get me, again, are ya?"The blue demon smiled devilishly. I shuddered. "Depends, are you going to try and eat me, again?" He lets out a loud, bodacious roar of laughter. "Well, that depends on yer definition of 'eat', kitten."

Warnings: AU. Smut later on. Graphic Language. Violence. Noticeable OCCness. Some angst here and there. Cliché nicknames. Errors here and there too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not bleach. Not its characters. NOTHING! (So much sadness.)

Author's notes: This idea just came at me out of nowhere. I started to think what would it be like if things were switched up a bit. And it all went...well, everywhere from there. Please bear with me and my retarded plot bunnies ;A;

Time: Edo Period/Setting: Karakura Japan

Hueco Mundo- Heaven (dafuq?)

Soul Society- a yakuza group in Karakura Village.

Urahara Shop- Karakura's nearest and local medical clinic.

Kurosaki Apothecary- Family of herbal specialists who live on the outskirts of Karakura Village.

Forest of Menosu- (Menos) A dark forest where the Kurosaki's mainly retrieve their herbs. Supposedly haunted and filled with yokai and other evil spirits.

Thunder Blue

I. The Storm

How long will it last, this storm of seemingly never-ending tears, howls of the wind, and blue flashes of anger? It feels like it'll go on forever. It has been for the past week now. Is it a monsoon perhaps? The fortune teller, Ikumi Unagiya, said that it'll rain for a short period of time. But what exactly is her definition of short?

"Oh my," Yuzu gasped in awe. "It's starting to flood down there." She was perched up on the window sill, her arms supporting her tiny weight as she brought herself up to see down below the hill that our house was built upon.

I joined her to look out the window, only a brief moment to see the rainwater flood the fields of long-grass down below, before a flash of steel blue floods my vision, blinding me. I blink away, rubbing my inflicted eyes.

"Damn it." I cussed. "No way am I going out there again tonight."

"It's definitely a bad week." Karin, Yuzu's twin, comments as she rearranged the assorted herbs into their assigned cabinets. "This storm is causing us a lot of trouble. Floods. Bad herbal hunting conditions. And thunderstorm victims." She slams a drawer shut rather loudly. "We're running out of healing and soothing herbs for burns just from Urahara's demands. "

I shrugged. "Well, what can we do other than wait out the storm or until it lightens up enough for me to go and search for more."

"Oh Ichigo!" Isshin cried. "I can't let my only beloved son to go out into the scary, evil, spooky-"

"Shut up old man." Karin huffed. "If not him, you'll go!"

"Good luck my beloved son! I love you!" Isshin blew kisses at me.

I scowled and kicked his shins. "Stupid goat face. I'm not going yet."

But soon, I'll have no choice. We're running out of money to buy food, and we'll need the herbs to sell them to Urahara and other medical clinics. Plus, we're nearly out of our last batch of wild leeks, bamboo shoots, and other wild plants we gather from the forest to eat. Damn it all. If this really is a monsoon, one that might go on for weeks and weeks, I'm going wreck havoc on Ikumi's fortune telling business. 'Short period of time' my ass. As the thunder rolled on and on, I began to doubt that this storm would even lighten up an inch.

Hours later, until it reached the start of the afternoon, it continued to pour and pour. Yuzu kneel down the spot where the dog, Kon, was curled up in a ball, whimpering and shivering closer to Yuzu. I sighed. Another downside. Kon was our scouter, the one who both finds and digs up grounded roots or herbs. He was also a wuss when it came to thunderstorms. If he wasn't capable of helping hunt for herbs this time, then I guess I'll have to search for whatever I could find in this disastrous weather.

I stood up from my seat on the floored cushion, Yuzu reacting the same and jumped flat on her feet.

"You're really going to go?" Yuzu's voice quivered.

"Yeah." I answered, my voice bleak.

"Take the arrows." Karin's voice was solid and flat. "The blade too."

She had a good reason why to tell me to arm myself. At night-time or storms like this, the forest becomes restless, full of anxious beast...and whatever else is said to be out there. The Forest of Menosu had taken many lives before, though it was only when one would venture too far within the forest. It was a rare case that someone would go missing from just venturing the brim of the forest. Rare cases such like my mothers.

Before sinking any further in my thoughts, I shook my head lightly. I did what I was advise and strapped the quiver full of arrows over my shoulder and across my chest, then belted the sheathed blade around my waist. Lastly, I hooked the wooden bow through my arm and rested it over my shoulder. I equipped myself with other necessary things, such as a lantern, a match, a small oil gourd, and the herb sack. Before leaving, I kissed both of my younger sisters foreheads, and saluted the old man. Kon was in the slanted passage under the shelves, too far under for me to be able to reach and say a 'see ya, wuss'.

I let out an irritated sigh before slipping the hooded rain cloak over the bright orange mess I call my hair and started out to the forest under the relentless rain. The ground was left incredibly soaked with water, my zori sandals already sinking into the swamp-like terrain the second I let my foot down. I picked up the pace towards the forest, hoping that with all the trees, the roots will provide me a more solid ground took walk around in. It didn't take long to arrive (considering that we literally live twenty yards from the forest) and my feet had already descended upon the safety of the much more solid dirt. It was still a bit slippery, and my feet did sink in a bit if I kept them in one place for a bit too long, but it was a huge improvement compare to the new forming swamp out there.

I took a moment to study my surroundings. It was dark, no surprise there. Rain trickled down the leaves at a steady pace, dribbling everywhere, that including over my head and down my neck. I immediately set the lantern on and placed my unoccupied hand on the hilt of the blade. The forest echoed with the sound of thunder, rain, and distant howls of an unidentified animal. Or creature.

I took slow and wary steps, kept my breath as quite as possible, and kept watch of both the plants we need and creatures I don't want to meet. Lucky for me, it didn't take very long. Minutes later I had a varieties of plants like Safflower, clematis, udo(for Yuzu to make miso soup later), artemisia, and three-leaf akebia. I was also able to discover a bee's nest, and from where I stood on the ground, I could see a few bees clinging too certain areas of the comb. No doubt its full of honey. And right now, such a thing was essential from having so many lightning strike victims suffering from a variety of burns. But now wasn't the time to raid a bee's honey-nest. I was alone, the tree was slick from the rainwater, and I couldn't try and sedate the bees with smoke in this weather's condition. Japanese honeybees aren't something to mess with when unprepared.

I noted the position of the bee's nest for next time, when the conditions are right, and went along with the herb gathering. Aside from the startling thunder and lightning, things were going quite well. Though, I still kept my guard up. Good thing too. Because if I wasn't so wary, I would've missed the glowing pair of jewels in the distance. I paused, heart skipping. Jewels? Glowing? And blue. Really blue.

I swallowed and held the lantern higher so I could give myself more light to see in. The jewels decreased in size as I did that. No, they didn't decrease. They squinted. Fucking squinted. They're not jewels, of course they're not jewels, their eyes! Forget skipping, my heart was now stuck in my throat, blocking the scream clogged in my chest. My eyes widened, my mouth agape and dry as the eyes drew closer. I was frozen, completely iced there as the unknown creature made its slow approach towards me. My knees locked under me, probably the only reason I was still standing.

"What are ya staring at?" A voice rumbled.

That voice snapped me from my state of shock. A voice so dark and animalistic, but then again husky and deep. From that state of shock, I almost went to a state of arousal, and nearly shuddered in delight at the sound of such a sexy thing. Almost. It's realization that keeps me in reality. Realization that it's the creature's voice. And just as the discovery hits me, so does the presence of the voice's creator.

Alabaster white fur with pristine black stripes streaked across it's whole body, a particular thick black band around its neck seemingly similar to a collar. And it's eyes. Oh heaven, those eyes were so beautiful. It's eyes were so blue, so clear and bright that it would shame a summer's sky. And the striking black framing those luminous orbs just seemed to sharpened the effects of those eyes. A cat? Can't be. It's too large. Some type of mountain cat then?

"Did ya hear me, or not?" It growled a again, for the second time, bringing me back to the present situation. "What the hell is with yer eyes?" It snapped out, it's jaws exposing a brief show of gleaming white and absolute sharp teeth. "What are ya staring at?"

Yokai. Demon.

With out a moment's more hesitation, I reached for my bow, loaded the arrow, aimed and shoot. Once that arrow left my bow, I fled. I didn't even look back and check to see if I hit my target. At this moment, it wasn't even worth my life to briefly turn my head and risk either slowing down or tripping on a surfacing root or whatever. But sure enough, there was an infuriated roar behind me followed by a blinding blue flash. Tiny dots spotted the side of my eyes as I stumbled blindly between the trees.

"Oh shit." I panted hysterically. "Ohsitohshitohshitohshit!"

Adrenaline burns through my system. Everything inside me is convulsing. My abdominal muscles clench in protest and my stomach is churning as if I'm going to start vomiting all over the place. It felt like I was taking forever to get to the edge of the forest. How deep did I go? I thought I stayed at the brim.

Light.

It was faint, but from the distance, I could see it. That faint, gray light of the stormy afternoon. If I pass that, then maybe I'm home free. Maybe. Oh god, how I hope so. But then, what if I wasn't? What should I do then? Lead it to town? Maybe there's an exorcist or a monk. Chances of that, maybe.

Just then, something hooks my ankle. The air is knocked out from my lungs as the muddy floor meets my chest. Mud smears my face and almost automatically, I bring myself half way up to wipe my face and continue running for my life. That particular roar reverberates through out the forest, now closer. No, here. Just as the lightening blinds me, I'm forced back onto the mushy ground, my back pressed deep in the soft earth and thick roots and my face three inches away from the demon's.

My heart is beating so fast, my pulse rushing through out my bloodstream, pounding so loud in my ears that I could hardly hear the rain. I'm panting like a madman, my lungs are aching and nearing to collapse upon themselves. I could see my panic expression in it's illuminating blue eyes, my mocha ones moon-wide with hysteria, mouth slightly agape as I pant harshly, orange hair barely seen through the matting dirt. The beast huffs against my face, breathe fresh of blood, and it exposes rows of ivory white teeth.

"I was gonna tear ya up and leave ya outside of the forest for yer family ta find ya. Or maybe even burn ya up a little, perhaps give ya a little brain damage as a gift too." It inhaled a roughly long and deep sniff of my neck. "But I changed my mind." The demon sneers. "I'll eat ya up instead, kitten."

Anger flood through me, flushing out the fear and horror. Kitten? Kitten! I scowled at his glimmering expression. I paid no attention to the flash of shock on his beastly face. I just jabbed his solar plexus with the hilt of my blade. He yowls, and I immediately shoved his heavy body off of mine. I don't hesitate to break-out into another sprint towards the exit of the forest again. Yes, I'm still angry, maybe not even afraid of the dastardly yokai anymore. But I must stay rational. I'm not going to challenge a possibly high-level yokai all alone (even though I might have already done that) just because of my bruised ego.

Finally, I make it out of the forest. But I don't even stop there. I don't know if the demon does rely on the forest's security and concealment. But I'm not taking anymore chances. I had enough for one day. I continue running towards home, sometimes pausing for a second to check for a streak or spot of blue or white. Nothing but green, gray, and brown. But I don't stop running.

By the time I'm home, from the waist down I drenched in wet earth, everything of my outfit in soaked with pure rain water. I'm shivering as my body convulses for heat. Yuzu's half panicking half furious when she sees me. Karin and Isshin retrieve dry clothes and towels to help dry me down as I convulse on the damp verandah with Yuzu warming my hands and feet. I give out one sentence before I knock out unconscious that night.

"No more storm herb hunting." I grumble and nuzzle against Yuzu's shoulder.

I know. I know. It's short ;A;

And I know there's some grammatical and spelling errors somewhere in there, but it's so late, and I'm so tired, and I just wanna go to sleep man.

I'll update this often, possible weekly. Grimmjow will be in Chapter three. Me no talky a lot about Chapter two or three. Sorry.

Character in next chapter: Youroichi, Urahara, Jinta, Ururu, Orihime, Uryu , Chad, Tatsuki, Ryuken Ishida, Shinji, Kensei, Renji, Hisagi, Ikkaku, Zenpachi.