Chapter One
'Addicted' by Saving Abel blared through the speakers of a jet black Nissan Fairlady Z as it pulled up to the rundown warehouses, the woman inside pushed her dark blue shades on top of her head as she parked the car and killed the ignition. She flicked the half-finished cigarette on the ground and stubbed it out with her black stiletto heel as she stepped out of the car. She pulled out the piece of paper she had scribbled the address down on and double checked to make sure she was at the right place since it had been so long since her last visit, at least 30 years if she was remembering right. They normally came to her since she was usually busy with the bar she had opened in another town a few hours away. She looked around to make sure there was no security before heading inside.
Her waist length chocolate brown hair with gold and burgundy highlight was pulled up into a high ponytail, only her bangs free to frame her face. She had almond shaped brown eyes and full pink lips. She wore a pair of dark, boot-cut jean pants that clung to her thighs like second skin and a low cut black halter top with a tear drop neckline that showed off her ample chest, a gold leaf patter across the front of it.
~X~
Shinji waited impatiently, his fingers tapping against the table he was sitting at. "Where the hell is she?" He had called her earlier in the week and asked if she could come down to help with their latest project. A project that was currently out of breath from being on Hiyori's walker for so long. He had honestly been surprised when she agreed. She normally stayed out of their business, only checking in about once a year.
"She's probably busy. You know how much work she puts into that place of hers." Kensei pointed out as he took the seat beside Shinji. "She'll be here. She hasn't gone back on her word yet."
A large, mischievous grin spread across Shinji's face as he looked at the other man. "You'd know better than any of us wouldn't you, Kensei-kun.".
"Oi! Leave our personal life out of this." The blush on his face was very prominent making a few of the others chuckle as they listened in.
It was no secret Kensei was in love with the woman even though he hadn't told her yet. He had gotten completely wasted one night with Love, Shinji, and Rose and blurted out that he wanted to ask her out one day. It was a few weeks later when he found himself at her door, two tickets to the movies given to him by his three friends. Sometimes he hated how close all of them had gotten over the years but he was grateful for it at the same time. That had been one of the better dates of his long life. They had gone on several more since then.
"Call her. At the rate we're going, we'll be here another year waiting on Ichigo's reiatsu to drain down. We need someone who can wear him down faster before he and Hiyori end up at each other's throats." Shinji sighed in frustration when a sandal went flying to prove his point.
"No one said you could stop dumbass! Get your ass back on that machine!" Hiyori shouted, a vein popping out of her forehead. "All you do is bitch and whine about control but you can't even do this simple task! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Are you serious!" Ichigo yelled back. "I can't take this shit anymore!" He kicked the machine, sending it directly at Hiyori. She snatched Shinji from the chair to block it, blood squirting out from the gash on his head.
"What the hell way that for! I'm gunna kick your damn teeth in if you try something like that again." She dropped Shinji to the floor and glared at the shinigami.
"You said you were going to train me but all you idiots have me doing is running on that damn machine all day! What the hell kind of control is that! Scratch that! You aren't the idiots! I'm the idiot for listening to this!"
"You are an idiot! That's why I call you dumbass! I made that device myself to help but all your dumbass is doing is standing there and bitching about the way we do things around here. If you don't like it you can take your ass out of here and let the hollow get you. Either way is fine by me, dumbass!"
"I'm not a dumbass, fang face! How the hell can you consider this training! It's a piece of junk that looks like it's ready to fall apart! You're supposed to be teaching me how to fight! Not how to run cross-country!"
"Lunch is ready!" Mashiro called cheerfully from the kitchen. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked between Ichigo and Hiyori, wondering what exactly happened to cause this fight. She turned to Hachigan. "Is everything okay?"
"I really don't think Hiyori explained the purpose of this training very well." Hachigan replied. "I can see why the shinigami would be upset."
"Shut the hell up! Just get on the machine and keep running dumbass!" Hiyori threw the walker, catching Ichigo under the chin. "Keep running until you drop!"
~X~
She could hear shouting from the center of the warehouse. She followed the sound until she reached the opening, leaning against the frame as she watched Hiyori argue with a young man she had never meet before. She could only assume with was the new project Shinji had mentioned to her, Kurosaki Ichigo. She could definitely feel his reiatsu flaring to highs she had only seen in a handful of people other that herself. She wondered how far it would go if he were really pushed.
A chuckle escaped from her full pink lips as she watched Hiyori throw the machine, knowing the younger woman had deadly aim and the shinigami wouldn't be able to move in time. The sound caught Kensei's ears as he turned to look at her, a smile on his face as he went to join her.
"What are they fighting about?" She asked as soon as he was close enough so the others wouldn't hear. She wanted to observe the shinigami a little more before she made her presence known.
"You know how Hiyori is." He replied wrapping his arms around her and placing his lips over her own in a heated kiss. "I missed you."
"I missed you too." She replied returning the kiss. "I take it she left out a few important details about the walker, didn't she?"
"Hai. She never was good at explaining things. I don't see how you put up with her for so long when you had to use that thing. Then again you always had the patience of a saint." She flashed him a smile. "Maybe you could give it a go. He might actually listen to you."
"Oh he better listen to me. He won't like me very much if I have to force him to. I still have a wicked temper on me. Even saints have their limits." Her smile turned into a wicked smirk that sent chills down his spine. Her eyes always lit up at the thought of a fight. Then again, it was something that had run in her blood since long before he had met her. "What do you think of him so far? Is he worth my time?"
"I think he is." Kensei replied with a shrug. "From what I can tell, he has a massive amount of reiatsu. If he goes full hollow, we might not be able to stop the transformation."
"I see." She sighed as she approached the group. Hiyori and Ichigo still hadn't noticed her but the others had, each of them greeting her with a warm smile. She took a seat on the ground above Ichigo and Hiyori, Kensei beside her. "He seems upset."
"Yo, Reimei-san!" Shinji waved at her. "Glad you could make it. How have you been?"
"Can't complain. Been busy so haven't had time to do much. Might be nice to catch a small break." She replied. "I take it that's Ichigo." She pointed to the shinigami below them.
"Hai. Teaching him is like trying to teach a brick wall how to roll-over. He's stubborn as hell. You up for the task?" Shinji eyed her. He knew she would want to get settled in first so their training would probably be pushed off until tomorrow. "Need us to help you carry in anything?"
"No, that's okay. I can manage." She replied. Her head tilted to the side as she watched another flare of Ichigo's reiatsu. It was obvious the kid had potential, he just didn't know how to use it. Maybe that was another thing they could work on while she was here. She let them argue for a few more minutes before clearing her throat. "Kurosaki-san, Hiyori-chan, that's enough."
"Who the hell are you?" The shinigami snapped, frustrated with the group he had been stuck with. They made him look like an idiot running on that damned machine. That was something he didn't like.
"My name's Reimei." She replied. "And you are Kurosaki Ichigo, correct?"
"What's it to you?" The teen questioned. He'd never seen her with the other visordes before but he could tell they were comfortable with her. If she was just going to tell him to do the same thing though, she'd fall right in the same category with the rest of them. Idiots.
"I was called her to help you with your training. Shinji-san thinks I might be able to help you a little more than they can given your unique situation." She replied. "I understand that you were able to become a shinigami and obtain bankai without going through the shinigami academy. That's not something many people can claim they've done."
"Are you going to make me get back on that stupid machine?"
"It's not a stupid machine dumbass!" Hiyori growled out, arms crossed over her chest in irritation.
"That depends. I take a more hands on approach." Reimei replied. "If you would like, I would be willing to take over your training for the week I'm here. After that, you will need to do exactly what the others tell you with no complaint or I'll have to come back. I will not be pleased if that happens."
"You can teach me how to control my inner hollow?" She nodded at the question. "Anything has to be better than this crap. I don't have time to waste running on that junk. When can we start?"
"Tomorrow morning." She replied. "Go home and rest for now. I won't allow you to take any breaks during our training. Eat as much as you can tonight but don't eat breakfast. If you do, you'll throw up. I expect you here at dawn. If I have to come find you, I will drag you here by the hair on your head and it'll just be that much harder for you."
"Why can't we start tonight?" He argued, clearly not happy with having to wait.
"Because I said so." That was the end of the discussion.
~X~
Reimei stretched out on the couch, stomach full from the meal Mashiro had prepared. She had a few bottles of sake in front of her to share with Love, Shinji, Rose, and Kensei. She knew it would be a long night, not about to launch into a discussion concerning Aizen Sosuke without having a few drinks in her system.
She knew he would come up. It was one of the reasons Ichio had sought the visoreds out in the first place. She knew some of what happened when Aizen, Gin, and Tousen betrayed Seireitei the second time, the first no one but the visored, Urahara Kisuke, and Shihoin Yoruichi knew about. The man had led them on this chase for the last 100 years. It was time to put this to an end.
She sighed and downed another shot of sake, the warmth spreading through her body. She would've killed Sosuke herself if she could have got back into Seireitei without being caught. The world would be a better place without him spreading his lies and games. "So how did Ichigo come across his hollow powers? I thought Urahara-san sealed the Hogyoku."
"He did." Shinji replied taking a drink himself. "We aren't really sure how Ichigo got them. I felt the reiatsu of a powerful hollow and followed it. When I got there, it was coming from him. He's powerful but he has no idea how to use it."
"I see." She looked up through the glass ceiling at the stars. She never dreamed someone, let alone a human, could obtain hollow powers without the Hogyoku. Obviously she had been wrong. Did that mean there could be more out there like Ichigo? "Has anyone else shown signs of hollowfication?"
Kensei shook his head. "I already scouted the city. It seems like Ichigo is the only one, other than us. Is it possible he obtained them like you did?"
The question was directed at her. She thought it over carefully. It was possibly but unlikely. That would mean someone would have had to seal a hollow inside of him. The only person capable of that was Urahara. She doubted he would have done it. He knew the risks involved. It would take someone with tremendous control and reiatsu to go through that method.
"Urahara-san, what else can be done?" A soft feminine voice cut through the silence. Urahara sighed as he checked the Taichous and Fukutaichous. The amount of power radiating off of them was almost frightening. Even in unconsciousness, it swirled around their bodies. "If you don't do something soon, Seireitei will be all over us. I can't fight them off in this state."
Urahara looked the woman over. She had a deep stab wound throuh her chest that was bleeding profusely and one down her left eye, her right arm was broken, and her side was scorched from the cero she had taken that was meant for him. "There's not much I can do. It's up to them now. If they can't get control of their powers, the hollows inside of them will take over."
"Is there a way to seal part of the reiatsu inside of them? At this rate, they won't make it." Yoruichi added.
"No." Urahara replied shaking his head. "Their bodies can't hold up to it. The seal would break in no time and they would be overpowered again."
"What if you seal some of it in me?" Urahara and Yoruichi looked at the woman. "I can handle at most half from each. Would that be enough?"
"Easily, but then what? Even if we did manage this, you wouldn't be allowed to return. Obtaining hollow-like powers is forbidden. You would all need to stay in hiding. I could provide the gigai for you but you'll be the first they track down. You're the biggest threat to them." Urahara rubbed the back of his neck.
"Then let's do it." The woman replied. "If I can help them then do what you must. I feel partially responsible for this mess to begin with."
"No one is blaming you, Reimei-chan." Yoruichi said placing her hand on the woman's good shoulder. "You couldn't have known this would happen. None of us saw this coming."
"I should have known though. I should have sensed something was wrong. I could have put a stop to this before it got this far." Her shoulders shook as the tears began to hit the ground. "Let's get this over with, Urahara-san. When they wake up, will you tell them I'm sorry? I never meant for things to get this bad."
"They know." Urahara said. "You fought to get them this far, they know that, and now you're taking on even more for them. We're all grateful for that, Reimei-san. We need to work fast though. It won't be long before they're awake."
"Arigato, Kisuke-san."
"Oi, you alright Reimei?" Kensei said catching her attention. She looked over at him and nodded. "Either way, it doesn't matter. He has them and needs to learn how to control them. I think we should take turns training him. Each of us can fight him until we're tired. Reimei can go last. She'll last the longest."
The others nodded in agreement. Reimei was expecting that. With 8 different hollows sealed inside of her and her own strength, she was the most capable of dealing with Ichigo if it came down to it. If he couldn't control his hollow by the time he got to her, she would either defeat him or kill him.
"What exactly is Sosuke playing at now?" She asked the question that had been circling around in her mind since the phone call with Shinji. "If he, Gin, and Tousen left Seireitei, where did they go?"
"Hueco Mundo." Shinji replied. "He's built an army of arrancar there. Hollows with shinigami abilities. I've fought them and they might be a problem. They're all at least fukutaichou rank. The top 10 being Aizen's Espada. Most of them are taichou level. With the Gotei 13 missing several of their taichou, they'll be outnumbered."
"So how do they expect to win if they're outnumbered?" She was curious. "If they have 10 Espada and the rest are fukutaichou level, the Gotei 13 will be short 3 taichou making it even. It's the rest of the arrancar that will outnumber them. Plus, there's the strength of each individual Espada. If some of them are stronger than the taichou, that would stretch them out even more."
"We're planning on joining the battle." Love supplied. "After everything that Aizen has done, we feel that it's our battle also. That should give the Gotei 13 the push they need."
"That is if the Gotei 13 will accept our help." Rose added.
"We won't give them a choice." Reimei knew how stubborn Yamamoto could be. They had all served as taichou and fukutaichou so they understood they wouldn't be welcomed with open arms. Yamamoto wouldn't turn down the help if they needed it though. "I say we wait until the fighting begins. If the Gotei 13 are outnumbered, we'll be welcomed a lot easier."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Love stood up for the chair and yawned. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"I'm right behind you." Rose said also standing.
Shinji followed shortly after leaving Reimei and Kensei alone in the living area. Reimei finished off her second bottle of sake and was about to start a third when Kensei stopped her.
"Let's finish this in my room. I'm not too fond of passing out in here." She nodded and followed him up the stairs to the room they shared when she visited, grabbing her bags on the way.
As soon as they were inside, Kensei locked the door and tossed her the remote, grabbing a pair of basketball shorts and a muscle shirt to change into after his shower. Reimei flipped it on Netflix and scrolled until she found her favorite series, Wentworth. She changed into a pair of black cotton shorts and a burnt orange tank top, hair up in a messy bun.
She settled indian-style on the bed with the bottle of sake and drank straight from the bottle knowing Kensei wouldn't mind. He drank less than she did. He drank to feel relaxed, she did it to forget.
She laughed at the television, a light blush across her cheeks. She didn't hear the water turn off or the bathroom door close. The bed shifted and a pair of arms wrapped around her making her jump. Kensei smirked and took the bottle from her, taking a drink himself before sitting it on the table beside his bed.
"Did I catch you slipping up?" He joked kissing the side of her neck.
She hummed in satisfaction. "Only around you." He chuckled as he pulled her back against the mattress. His lips found hers shortly after.
His hands slid under the edge of her shirt and massaged her tone stomach, his thumbs brushing the curve of her breast. The kiss broke as she trailed her lips across his jaw bone to his throat. She sucked the skin over his pulse until a faint red mark appeared. He trailed his hands down her sides a few more times before pulling her back up to meet his lips.
He lifted her tank top over her head and dropped in on the floor. A moan escaped her when his lips, teeth, and tongue began ravishing her neck. He captured both of her wrists in his hand, lifting them over her head. He returned to her neck in a series of kisses. His free hand roamed over her tones stomach and his thumb rubbed the skin just under the breast. His kisses trailing from her neck to her chest. Reimei pulled her wrists trying to free them when he took one of her hardened peaks into his mouth, his teeth grazing it before being replaced by his tongue.
"Kensei." She moaned. She could feel the wetness pool between her legs. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to run her hands through his hair. He released the peak before moving to her other side, taking the other peak into his mouth and bit down causing her to cry out and lift her hips into him. He released her hands so he could turn them so she was straddling him.
She lifted the grey muscle shift over his head and trailed her nails down his chest, breaking the skin. Kensei hissed at the stinging sensation then sighed deep when her mouth replaced her hands. Her tongue darted over the scratches to soothe them. She trailed kisses down his chest to his abdomen. Stopping when she met the band of his shorts. She untied them and pulled them down his legs. He turned them again so he was over her. He gripped the edge of her cotton shorts and slid them down her toned legs leaving her in only a pair of maroon panties. He caught the corner of the lace and pulled them leaving her bare in front of him. He looked over her body, remembering every detail about it.
He pushed her legs apart and settled between them, eyes meeting her own as his tongue slid between her folds. Reimei tried to arch up but Kensei held her in place. "Kensei!" He took the bundle of nerves into his mouth, a finger entering her to make sure she was wet enough. Reimei's breathes came out fast as he added another finger. She felt like she was going to explode at any minute. Her stomach tightened like a coil waiting to release. "Kensei, I want you."
He smirked. His mouth coming back to meet her own and let her taste herself on his tongue. He pushed her legs up, easing himself into her. When he was half way in, he snapped his hips forward and buried himself deep within her. Reimei moaned into his mouth at the feeling. She was wrapped around him like a vice. He pulled back before pushing forward again. She met each of his thrusts. Her nails dug into his biceps and she cried out in pleasure. A thin sweat coated both of their bodied. Kensei could feel her walls tightening around him. She thrashed under him as her orgasm washed over her. He didn't stop until it was over. Her turned her to where she was on her hands and knees before pushing back into her.
"Kensei. Oh god." Her body was on fire. She could already feel her second orgasm building inside of her. She bit down on the pillow to keep from screaming out. He lifted her so her breasts bounced up and down. His took both into his hands, his thumb grazing the peaks. He was close. Her walls were tightening around him again. "Kensei!" She screamed as her second orgasm tore through her body. Kensei grunted as his own washed over him. He pushed deep inside her as he released. Reimei fell back onto her hands. Her body was shacking. As soon as Kensei pulled out, she collapsed against the bed on her stomach. She felt him move beside her. He pulled the blanket over them and settled beside her. She moved so her arms wrapped around him and her head rested on his chest. Darkness taking over shortly after.
~X~
Reimei cried out in pain and clutched her shoulder, glad the blade hadn't gone through the bone and she was able to shift out of the way in time. Ichigo let out a dark laugh as he came at her again.
She knew she wouldn't be able to fight him without seriously hurting him so she used his strength against him, twisting out of the way of each of his swings until she was able to get close enough to him. She charged a cero in her hand, hitting him at point blank range and sending up a cloud of dust before the force of the blast knocked her back.
They had been at it for the last half hour, exchanging blows with each other. She had avoided using her zanpakuto, scared she would do more damage than she intended to. With Ichigo almost fully transformed, he wouldn't be able to tell her if he was seriously wounded.
As soon as he fired his own blast, she threw out a kido spell to block it. She wasn't expecting him to be on her so fast. His fist knocked through the barrier and collided with her arms as she brought them up to defend herself.
Reimei grabbed his wrist with one hand and brought her other forward to catch him in the face. Pain shot through as her hand collided with what felt like concrete.
Reimei dodged right as he swung his blade at her again. The blade narrowly missing her head. A few stands of hair fell to the ground where she had been standing.
"Hado thirty-one, Shakkaho!" The red flames shot at him, catching him in the side and scorching part of his uniform. His skin was hardly burned.
He charged forward, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the ground. The air left her lungs and she felt her throat constricting tightly. Her hands wrapped around his wrist as she tried to pull his hand away.
'Damn it.' Black spots began to cloud her vision as she gasped. Her hands loosened around his wrist. She kicked out with her legs. 'Reimei-sama!'. 'Hiraishin?' She could hear the desperation in her zanpakuto's voice as his master grew weaker. A small flame ignited in her mind. She reached to the flame. 'Reimei-sama!' It was getting louder. Her vision went completely black and her body grew heavier. A red ribbon appeared before her. She grabbed onto it and pulled with everything she had left. 'Reimei-SAMA!'
The hollow growled out and released her as a blade stabbed into his thigh.
Reimei crawled to her knees, her hallow mask shattering as she coughed. Air filled her lungs again and the light was almost blinding as everything came back to her. She looked in her right hand when she felt a familiar weight.
She pushed herself to her feet and swung the blade, sparks flying as the blades collided. She pushed her weight forward, forcing the hollow to take a few steps back. She broke the battle with a quick spin. Her blade cut through Ichigo's arm. He growled out and knocked the blade back. His own came up seconds later, slicing Reimei across the stomach.
Her fist shot out, this time breaking through the thick skin. Ichigo hissed out in pain. He brought his blade up just in time to stop a blow to his throat. Reimei spun the other way with her leg. Ichigo's back collided with the ground creating a large crater. Before he could pull himself out, Reimei met him, her fists swinging wildly at his face and torso. Each blow brought another crack or split.
With a final blow to the head, the hollow's movements stopped. The mask split down the center and crumbled away leaving a battered and bruised Ichigo. He sunk down to his knees, blood coming from his mouth as he coughed. Reimei collapsed beside him breathing heavily. She could already feel the bruises starting to form on her own body.
"Good job kid." She managed to wheeze out. "You beat your hollow."
"Remind me," His sentence cut off in another coughing fit. "to never get on your bad side. You never used your zanpakuto's abilities."
"Ichiho-san, if I had used my zanpakuto, you would be fried to a crisp right now." She laughed at the questioning look on his face. "I have the only lightning based zanpakuto. Hiraishin means lightning rod."
"Thanks for not using it then. You still hit pretty hard without it though. How do you manage that?"
"Before becoming a Visored, I was the 10th taichou of the 11th division. Kenpachi Reimei is what most people in the Gotei 13 would remember me by." His eyes widened. "I take you you've met one of my predecessor, Kenpachi Zaraki."
"Wait! You were a taichou? How did you end up here then?"
"Sosuke." She growled out. "All of us here were taichou or fukutaichou over a hundred years ago. When we obtained our hollow abilities, we were all exiled from Seireitei. If we are caught, we will be trialed and most likely executed. I trust you to keep our whereabouts a secret."
"Yeah no problem. I'm not exactly a poster boy for the rules myself. How did you all get to Karakura Town though? Wouldn't you want to go somewhere smaller so less people are around?"
"The less people that are around, the greater chance we have of being found. I chose to stay away from Karakura Town because of my reiatsu level. Staying here to long will make the people of this town more prone to hollow attacks. Not only do I have a massive amount of reiatsu, I also have 8 different hollows sealed inside of me."
"Why do you have 8?"
"Because we were too weak at the time to defeat our hollows." Shinji arrived at their side, tossing a bottle of water at each of them. "Urahara-san sealed half of our hollows inside of her. That's how she obtained her abilities. It wasn't from the hogyoku."
"Right. When we arrived in the living world, they were all exhausted and couldn't fight anymore. I was injured but my will-power is a lot stronger than most people's. I was able to assist them in their fight. When things settled down, we were able to train and get better control of ourselves." She added. "You're getting the easy route. You have people at can assist you as you learn control while we had no one until the worst part was over."
Ichigo looked down to the ground, his mind racing as he thought over everything he had been told. So they were a lot stronger than he gave them credit for. Being former shinigami definitely explained how Shinji knocked him on his ass when they met and how Hachigan was able raise such strong barriers. They were passing some of their skills on to him as they trained him. "Thank you."
Reimei grinned widely at him which made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Don't thank us yet, Ichigo-san. I have every intention of making you stronger. The level you're at right now, you wouldn't last long in a fight against Sosuke or even Gin or Tousen for that matter. I want to correct that."
"Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it."
"You'll meet me here every morning at dawn and we won't stop until dusk. There will be no breaks in between and you will keep your mask on the entire time. I don't care if I run you so far into the ground that you pass out. You will get stronger and I won't listen to any complaining. Is that understood?"
"Hai." He gulped. That was easily 16 hours training a day but he would deal with it. He didn't have a choice. He knew she was right about Aizen and he needed to get stronger. If this was the way to do it, then he wouldn't complain.
"Good. Now get back on Hiyori's walker and don't stop until you're drained. Then the real training will begin."
Maybe he spoke to soon. "Wait. I have a question."
"What is it?" Reimei asked pushing herself up into a sitting position. She pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair and brushed through the strands with her fingers before pulling is up into a bun to cool off.
"Why do you call him Sosuke and not Aizen? You're the only person that does that." Ichigo replied. He hadn't heard anyone else refer to Aizen by his first name except for Ukitake.
"Because he'll always be Sosuke to me. Calling him Aizen gets me confused sometimes. I sure as hell haven't do anything to betray anyone."
"What do you mean?"
"My full name is Aizen Reimei. Sosuke is my younger brother."
~X~
The Visoreds sat quietly in the living area as the waited for supper to be ready, Lisa counting out loud as she coached Ichigo. Reimei was currently in the kitchen with several ingredients laid out across the counter. She planned on making yakisoba with gyoza and dango for dessert. Mashiro was in the kitchen with her, interested in learning how to make different meals from what she normally made them which was usually ramen or miso soup.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Mashiro asked once again as she watched the other woman work. "We could always call in and one of us can pick it up."
"I don't mind Mashi-chan. Thank you for helping me." Reimei replied as she chopped the onions and carrots up for the yakisoba. "Do you mind getting the mushrooms and cabbage ready?"
"Of course."
They worked quickly knowing the others were hungry. Reimei dropped the vegetables in the hot pan as soon as the beef was almost done and let sit for a few minutes before adding the noodles, seasoning, and her special yakisoba sauce. While that cooked, she started on the gyoza while Mashiro prepared the dango since that was something she was comfortable with.
The smell of food soon filled the warehouse and the visoreds found themselves at the table waiting. Mashiro and Reimei carried out the food and sat it in the middle of the table. The visoreds not even waiting on them to take a seat before they dug in.
"Don't I get anything?" Ichigo yelled from down the hall.
"You ain't getting shit dumbass so stop talking and keep running!" Hiyori snapped before taking a mouthful of food. Her eyes closed as she savored it. "Kensei we're keeping your girlfriend. Her cooking in the best."
Reimei chuckled. "Only for the week Hiyori-san. I have a business to run."
"Yeah, yeah." She grumbled taking another bite.
As soon as dinner was finished and the dishes put up, Rose volunteered to watch Ichigo while the others turned in.
Reimei went to her own room that night, showering in her favorite candy apple soap and shampoo before she changed into a pair of dark blue cotton shorts and tank top. She pulled her hair up into a bun and pulled out a book she had been reading for the last few days. A love story between a monster and a princess.
She loved romance novels. Especially ones like these. Maybe it was because of the forbidden part of it or maybe it was more of the rebellious side of the princess that got her attention. She had always been the rebel in her family. The women were normally expected to find husbands in the cleaner districts or even inside of Seireitei if they were lucky enough.
She laid in bed for hours reading. It wasn't until after midnight that she stopped. Her eyes looked up from the page towards the window that faced the city. She had felt something. She slipped on a pair of sandals and grabbed her zanpakuto from the dresser. She didn't want to wake the others so she slipped out through the window.
The building passed by in a blur as she headed towards the source of the reiatsu she had felt. She didn't stop until she reached a park on the other side of town. Reimei looked around the area but couldn't find the reiatsu again. She sighed and scratched the back of her neck. She was about to head back when she heard a twig snap.
Reimei whipped around in the direction of the sound and her eyes widened. A man stepped out from behind a tree, a large grin on his face as he watched her. Even though he had been a child the last time they met, she would never forget that silver hair and fox-like appearance.
"Gin?"